Shine News

If you’re ready to ‘run the city’, join Team Shine! 

Domestic violence in New Zealand is being called the ‘shadow pandemic’.  It was one of our biggest social issues pre COVID-19, with police attending a domestic violence incident every 4 minutes.  Over the past year with COVID-19 and lockdowns, we have seen not only an increase in the number of domestic violence incidents, but even more frightening, an increase in the level of violence being used.

As kiwis, we need to stand up against domestic violence.

Be part of the solution and join Team Shine today. 

Join Team Shine for this year’s Auckland Marathon on 31st October 2021 and raise funds to support victims of domestic violence. Run or walk 5, 11km, 21km or 42km.

Set up an online fundraising page. Be part of the solution and help victims of domestic violence get safe and stay safe.

Shine's Community Fundraiser Carol Herbert signed up to Team Shine for the 2019 Auckland Marathon, to walk the half-marathon distance of 21km.

"Joining Team Shine was definitely a motivator as I wanted to use the opportunity to make a difference in my community. It motivated me to fundraise and also to train so I didn’t let down family and friends who donated to my Shine cause. It was amazing walking over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and crossing that finish line was a huge achievement. I would encourage you to give it a go this year."

Please contact Carol if you have any questions or would love to sign up. Email carolh@2shine.org.nz

Thank you for stepping up to support victims of domestic violence, especially over the past few months. We were and are, incredibly fortunate to receive amazing support from our community – from individuals and organisations wanting to ensure everyone was able to get safe and stay safe during these difficult times.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the following organisations and individuals:

• Ministry of Social Development for funding to cover emergency accommodation, food, clothing and Prezzy cards for victims to access the essentials - medication, formula and children’s needs.
• Corrections New Zealand staff who used their vans to courier emergency food and clothing parcels to those who needed them
• NZ Police who were so helpful in critical responses and getting victims into emergency accommodation on our behalf
• Shine’s charity partner and leading insurance provider Suncorp which donated $100,000 for the COVID19 response
• Driving Miss Daisy drivers who delivered emergency food, clothing, and phones, and transported clients to safety
• Uber which provided 500 vouchers of two rides each to transport victims to Shine and other family violence services
• Spark which donated 20 urgently-needed phones with data, to victims
• Betty Cares Foundation which provided essential clothing packs
• Kiwi Harvest which supplied fresh food every week to support clients in refuge and in emergency accommodation
• I Got Your Back Pack provided packs for women (toiletries and essentials) and backpacks for children
• Sikh Aware bought and delivered groceries for clients including those in the Shine men’s programme
• Several motels that provided emergency accommodation and went the extra mile to help victims feel safe and comforted
• Natalie Quirk – an amazing lawyer who went above and beyond to get Protection Orders processed quickly.

Individual supporters who donated and raised funds, including:

• Virginia who celebrated her 80th birthday by asking family and friends to donate to Shine
• @Leanne_Prichard and @Ellefit_nz which led an 80s aerobics class on Instagram Live, raising over $1k
• Rebekah Codlin Art donated 10% of sales of her art to Shine during Level 4
• Artist @hanna.shim created facemasks to sell with proceeds going to Shine
• Reuben & Magnus shaved their heads as a fundraiser in the first week of isolation
• Philip Kelly Turntable paintings exhibition on Visions.Art donated 10% of proceeds
• Everyone who did the Instagram 5k, $10, 5 nominations challenge
• Every one of the Team of 5 million who by eliminating COVID19, made it possible for our country to open-up and ensure victims could get help and get safe

And a huge thank you to everyone who continues to give and everyone who responded to our call for groceries in the past few weeks. Annee who manages our donations said:

“We have had an unbelievable response. People have come in carrying what they can – from one or two grocery bags to lots of them. They’ve put great thought into what is needed, too. We have had Prezzy cards brought in as well, with beautiful messages written on the back. It has been a real eye opener how people rally around and give when needed.”

Thank you for your kindness and your generosity.

“It wasn’t ideal but we made it work.”

Shine Advocate, Irka , sums up in a few words how our team helped domestic violence victims and their children during the lockdown.

“Everyone knew lockdown was going to be especially difficult for victims of domestic violence who would have little or no respite from their abuser, or opportunities to get help. We knew from overseas experience that there would be an escalation of family violence – and that it would be more severe and brutal than usual. And that is exactly what happened in New Zealand where Shine saw not only a rise in the number of referrals from hospitals, but also in increase in victims of sexual assault.”

As an essential service, Shine’s frontline staff of advocates continued their vital work, but lockdown itself presented unexpected challenges for all of our services.

Unable to meet victims face to face, our advocates had to rely on supporting adult victims by phone. Imagine the difficulty of having those conversations when the offender might be in the house or about to arrive home. We had to take great care not to endanger our clients still further.

Telephone conversations weren’t an option for our work with children, as they need face-to-face interaction and support. So our staff spent more time talking (by phone) to the protective parent to help him or her develop the tools needed for their children to understand what was happening to them, to help them cope and to work towards their healing.

In the first week of lockdown, we realised that even simple activities were no longer simple. Because of the restrictions, our access to basic essentials like clothing, toiletries, food, phones, and money for special baby formula and medications was hindered. Sometimes women who were placed in the safety of a motel had to wait, before we could get the essentials – clothes and food – delivered to her. Disturbingly, some clients who had fled with small children were unable to get groceries for themselves because lockdown restrictions did not permit them to take their children into supermarkets - but of course, they couldn’t leave them alone either.

Fortunately for victims, a number of wonderful individuals and organisations stepped up and were ready to help with donations of new goods, deliveries and transport.

Thanks to your incredible support, we are proud to have been able to provide the best care possible to victims of domestic violence throughout the lockdown.

Read more about the amazing individuals and organisations that stepped up to support victims and Shine.

While lockdown presented many challenges and our frontline staff are now relieved to be able to meet with clients face-to-face, we have also discovered new and better ways of doing things. Our experience has shown us the gift of a Prezzy cards helps to ensure our clients do not go without essential items.

Nevertheless, the impact of COVID19 on family violence will be felt for years to come. At Shine, we are expecting to see a continuing escalation of violence in the coming months and beyond. As disheartening as this is, we will not let it discourage from us from our mission of ending family violence in Aotearoa. Instead, we will redouble our efforts and work even harder.

We are so grateful for your continued support and commitment on our journey towards making every home violence free.