Post by Kiwi Frontline on Oct 7, 2018 4:59:39 GMT 12
STOP EXCUSING CHILD ABUSE (August 2016)
Associate Professor Leonie Pihama writes alot of nonsense, claiming that high rates of child abuse amongst Maori are due to the trauma of colonisation (Stuff, 30/7/16). Her unfounded accusations do nothing to help the children, but raise serious concerns about the academic standards of the University of Waikato.
COLONISATION ENDED THE TRAUMA
If Pihama were to do some honest research, she would find that colonisation brought an end to the repetitive trauma of brutal intertribal warfare, along with its associated cannibalism, slavery and female infanticide.
As Chief Taipari (of Maungatapu pa in Tauranga during the 1830s and 1840s) noted, Maoris were well on the way to exterminating each other.
World history is full of people suffering catastrophic trauma – the likes of which simply can’t be compared with the colonisation of New Zealand.
Consider the misery and destruction caused by Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and so many others of their ilk. I’m not aware of any suggested, let alone proven, correlation between their survivors and child abuse.
While nothing can ever be one hundred percent perfect, colonisation helped Maori by introducing systems for law and order, property rights and political representation.
The new lifestyle benefits certainly outweighed the disadvantages with significantly more food, warmer clothing, better housing, medical care, infrastructure and opportunities. As a consequence, Maori life expectancy has risen steadily from about 20 − 25 in precolonial days to around 75 in 2012.
Many Maori have leapt at the opportunities offered by a more enlightened nation – from during the 1800s when tribal leaders insisted that Maori children learn English, and others established trading and export businesses, to our many Maori MPs and Governor General today.
REAL CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE
Pihama also denigrates the nuclear family, preferring instead a collective responsibility model. While there are advantages to having ready access to help and support, many adults in one household did nothing to protect the Kahui twins; nor were the children of Auckland’s Centrepoint commune protected against Bert Potter’s proclivity for paedophilia. Instead, the adults protected each other, instead of the children.
According to all statistical research, the nuclear family has a much better record on child health and safety than any other model. Parenting is a hard job. It takes an incredible amount of love, effort, sacrifice and commitment.
This explains why child abuse within New Zealand homes tends to be strongly correlated with unwanted pregnancies, non-biological carers, low educational attainment, past and current exposure to violence, and excessive use drugs and alcohol. Children damaged in such environments grow up and tend to repeat the behaviours they learnt.
Government policies, ineffective social welfare departments, and community excuses for appallingly bad behaviour have facilitated bad parenting. The result is an ever expanding number of abusers and damaged children. Nothing to do with colonisation – just dysfunctional families and basic maths.
STOP CULTIVATING IT
Tribal leaders and activists need to be held to account. Their status relies on having ever increasing numbers of disaffected and disadvantaged followers. How else are governments to be guilted into paying them exorbitant settlements, salaries and fees?
Most humans need to be pushed, inspired or challenged. If we are given excuses for our failures and we can blame others, many of us will take the easy way out. After all, any sort of success requires time, effort and long term commitment. So if Maori are going to improve their child abuse statistics, it’s time for Maori to take ownership.
No more excuses! Every parent must be held to account for the decisions they make – male and female. We must expect higher standards for the sake of our kids. Old fashioned, I know, but stop screwing around! If a man and a woman don’t want children, then they should use contraception or get a vasectomy.
Once you have kids, make them top priority. Give up drugs, alcohol and random parties – or seek help if you can’t. And no, you are not entitled to do what you want any more.
Embrace education. Celebrate success – not just on the rugby field – but everywhere − especially in school and in strong, loving relationships. Find good role models – there are many successful Maori to seek advice and support from.
Do it, for the children’s sake! And if your leaders say not to worry, it’s someone else’s responsibility, then they are not worthy of belonging to our wonderful country.
Instead of making excuses, Pihama and other Maori community leaders need to make more of an effort to help change attitudes amongst their people.
There is plenty of support available and much taxpayer money is being spent, but it won’t achieve much until Maori start supporting Maori, helping every individual believe that they can and must take responsibility for improving their own lives. Maybe then, they will be entitled to the precious children they create.
By Fiona Mackenzie
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/blogs/fiona-mackenzie
Associate Professor Leonie Pihama writes alot of nonsense, claiming that high rates of child abuse amongst Maori are due to the trauma of colonisation (Stuff, 30/7/16). Her unfounded accusations do nothing to help the children, but raise serious concerns about the academic standards of the University of Waikato.
COLONISATION ENDED THE TRAUMA
If Pihama were to do some honest research, she would find that colonisation brought an end to the repetitive trauma of brutal intertribal warfare, along with its associated cannibalism, slavery and female infanticide.
As Chief Taipari (of Maungatapu pa in Tauranga during the 1830s and 1840s) noted, Maoris were well on the way to exterminating each other.
World history is full of people suffering catastrophic trauma – the likes of which simply can’t be compared with the colonisation of New Zealand.
Consider the misery and destruction caused by Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and so many others of their ilk. I’m not aware of any suggested, let alone proven, correlation between their survivors and child abuse.
While nothing can ever be one hundred percent perfect, colonisation helped Maori by introducing systems for law and order, property rights and political representation.
The new lifestyle benefits certainly outweighed the disadvantages with significantly more food, warmer clothing, better housing, medical care, infrastructure and opportunities. As a consequence, Maori life expectancy has risen steadily from about 20 − 25 in precolonial days to around 75 in 2012.
Many Maori have leapt at the opportunities offered by a more enlightened nation – from during the 1800s when tribal leaders insisted that Maori children learn English, and others established trading and export businesses, to our many Maori MPs and Governor General today.
REAL CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE
Pihama also denigrates the nuclear family, preferring instead a collective responsibility model. While there are advantages to having ready access to help and support, many adults in one household did nothing to protect the Kahui twins; nor were the children of Auckland’s Centrepoint commune protected against Bert Potter’s proclivity for paedophilia. Instead, the adults protected each other, instead of the children.
According to all statistical research, the nuclear family has a much better record on child health and safety than any other model. Parenting is a hard job. It takes an incredible amount of love, effort, sacrifice and commitment.
This explains why child abuse within New Zealand homes tends to be strongly correlated with unwanted pregnancies, non-biological carers, low educational attainment, past and current exposure to violence, and excessive use drugs and alcohol. Children damaged in such environments grow up and tend to repeat the behaviours they learnt.
Government policies, ineffective social welfare departments, and community excuses for appallingly bad behaviour have facilitated bad parenting. The result is an ever expanding number of abusers and damaged children. Nothing to do with colonisation – just dysfunctional families and basic maths.
STOP CULTIVATING IT
Tribal leaders and activists need to be held to account. Their status relies on having ever increasing numbers of disaffected and disadvantaged followers. How else are governments to be guilted into paying them exorbitant settlements, salaries and fees?
Most humans need to be pushed, inspired or challenged. If we are given excuses for our failures and we can blame others, many of us will take the easy way out. After all, any sort of success requires time, effort and long term commitment. So if Maori are going to improve their child abuse statistics, it’s time for Maori to take ownership.
No more excuses! Every parent must be held to account for the decisions they make – male and female. We must expect higher standards for the sake of our kids. Old fashioned, I know, but stop screwing around! If a man and a woman don’t want children, then they should use contraception or get a vasectomy.
Once you have kids, make them top priority. Give up drugs, alcohol and random parties – or seek help if you can’t. And no, you are not entitled to do what you want any more.
Embrace education. Celebrate success – not just on the rugby field – but everywhere − especially in school and in strong, loving relationships. Find good role models – there are many successful Maori to seek advice and support from.
Do it, for the children’s sake! And if your leaders say not to worry, it’s someone else’s responsibility, then they are not worthy of belonging to our wonderful country.
Instead of making excuses, Pihama and other Maori community leaders need to make more of an effort to help change attitudes amongst their people.
There is plenty of support available and much taxpayer money is being spent, but it won’t achieve much until Maori start supporting Maori, helping every individual believe that they can and must take responsibility for improving their own lives. Maybe then, they will be entitled to the precious children they create.
By Fiona Mackenzie
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/blogs/fiona-mackenzie