sky

Good post, I found the film a bit OTT too.

Espressomattic

I am coming over in April to start work with the Police. Having served over here I am more than aware of DV and how incredibly destroying it can be. It is funny because I was thinking about this today and I am keen to see and compare practise when it comes down to dealing with victims of DV, both men and women. Abuse, beit mental emotional, physical et al is the same the world over and is prevelant more than most would think or dream.

SecretSquirrel

never mind the domestic violence.... have you tried the sausages?

southerner

Oh come on, they are just movies!

Everybody with an ounce of sense will know they do not necessarily fully represent real life, but that equally some of the themes will reflect on real issues confronting NZ society.

Once were Warriors is probably the best example I have seen that highlights the impact of domestic violence, much better than just reading the statistics or the court news (shocking as they can be).

Whale Rider showed some of the conflicts between Maori trying to preserve their traditions but also living in a modern city-centric world.

I do not recall the respective writers Alan Duff or Witi Ihimaera as being activists. They write NZ stories, as they see it.

southerner

I would recommend both movies as essential viewing for any potential immigrants, they will be much more valuable than reading a tourist brochure or watching Lord of The Rings, Billy Connelly or Coast to Coast.

And I would love to see your reactions to the first scene of Once Were Warriors, it is one of my favourite ever movie pieces.

southerner

I can recommend:
Bratwurst from Nelson's flea market
Venison sausages from the supermarket
Pork sausages from that butchers in Grey Lynn or thereabouts.
or failing all of the above, some wonderful NZ lamb, beef or seafood, which in my view far surpass all sausages (except a good Bratwurst).

Nerine

[QUOTE=Littletoe;4346154] Sorry but I have to disagree with you there.

Never had any problem with crime when I was in the UK but have seen heaps of it here. I've also been to court to give evidence for a prosecution. This meant sitting in the court room all day until 4:45pm and watching all the previous pathetic cases.

It's a myth that New Zealand has a low level of crime, mostly propagated by tourist blurb and those who like to believe it .

thebears

Sleeping dogs with Sam Neil is also an interesting watch.

Littletoe

Just wanted to post I completely agree with your statement. Better not recommend any more movies though, would hate their sub content dissected by Barry Norman.

Littletoe

Oh, if you're working with the police in NZ, Your'll spend pretty much all your time targeting people that speed, that's a far more pressing issue in NZ. Your'll get your own little radar gun and everything.

Batty

Like Maz, I too have been a 'victim' (hate that word) of domestic violence. I've also lived in London, in Bethnal Green, and used to often walk home (safely) late at night from the tube station. The only reason I wouldn't walk alone here is because there are too many trees and bushes and I'm a scaredy cat in the dark. Albeit I was raised a country girl I quickly got into the habit of well lit streets.

However. There is a very well reported instance of DV here. I'm not sure that it's any more prevalent than other countries but the outcome seems to be worse. There are a lot of deaths. Probably because of my history they really get to me - I have a vivid imagination and have to make a concerted effort to not imagine these women's final hours and minutes. There does seem to be more of an awareness among community leaders in recent months (I suppose since the Kahoui (sp) twins) but it'll take a generation at least before there are any real changes.

Littletoe

[QUOTE=Nerine;4348209] Yeah, but that's like saying, I got called for Jury duty in the UK and I saw a horrific crime here, its definetly worse here. If you spend all day in the courts, you're obviously going to be exposed to crime!! I also think that most of us here are aware of actual crime stats, its not just that we read a leaflet handed to us by the tourist board of NZ saying, 'Live here, its really safe.'

Nerine

I'd already formed the opinion that NZ had a crime problem before spending a day watching it in court.

What was interesting was the nature of the offences in the court here compared to what I've seen in British courtrooms - far more violence against the person, mostly against female partners and children, robbery and offences related to alcohol and drugs.

I'm sure I remember the Magistrate's court in England almost always having a cub reporter from the local paper sitting at the back, saw nothing like that here. Much of what goes on seems to go un-reported unless it is a high profile case.

Apple12

Oh good grief, Nerine.
Because your one day on Jury duty didn't have a reporter at the back, this means that crime goes unreported?
I think this is one of those situations that NZ can never win - if there was a high amount of crime written up in the papers then you would be saying that NZ has a much higher crime rate, and if it isn't in the paper it is because NZ has a much higher crime rate and it isn't reported.

NZ is not utopia. It is a country with a small population, but this doesn't mean that crime and domestic violence doesn't exist. However there is a democracy, there is little corruption, and it is a great place to live for many of us.

This thread has just gotten silly (IMVHO), not that I want to belittle the personal stories of those that have survived domestic violence.

Michelle Rockey

Yes you are right no where is utopia, my husband is from Singapore (supposedly crime free, or so the government would have you believe.) There is masses of DV there, no one reports hearing it because it's seen as 'family business' and the Asian culture means that the women are to ashamed to dishonour their families by going public. So in a way there is an acceptance of it (if acceptance is the right word). Likewise it hardly ever makes the press, I'm not sure whether this is down to a degree of censorship or because it is something people are aware of and have become desensitised to.

As a lawyer in the UK I can assure you that the UK DV rate is on a percentage par with NZ and that's just the cases that actually get reported, many that do don't even get as far as court, and it's no one group all social classes are affected. And men can be just as much a victim of DV as the women sometimes for years prevented from reporting it by the stigma they see attached. It's depressing and demoralising dealing with it over and over because the kids are right there throughout learning this behaviour but it is by no means sadly unique to NZ.

Gun crime, terrorism, murder, paedophiles, child abuse, DV all daily news in the UK. It does seem overwhelming if you stop to focus in on it too much.