New Zealand Government: Stop the closure of Auckland’s 24/7 sexual violence crisis service

How We Won

Dec 16, 2011

Moments ago John Key’s government got directly in touch with the Auckland Sexual Abuse Crisis Centre, committing to “continued funding for the next 6 months” and pledging to work with them to ensure “a sustainable service for the future”.

It’s an extraordinary victory -- for you and everyone else who has been part of the explosion of support for Kirsty McCully’s Change.org petition to save the centre.

Just a few short days ago things weren’t looking good. Funding was running desperately low, staff were about to be laid off and almost no one in the public or media was paying attention to the plight of the centre. No one in government was admitting they had responsibility -- in fact no one would even return the centre’s desperate calls.

Kirsty McCully used to work at the centre as a researcher into the prevention of sexual violence in Auckland. She worked alongside what she described as “tireless and committed crisis line counselling staff” and saw how they “are there for people when no one else is, and when no one else understands”.

Kirsty could not accept the closure of this critical service -- so she started a Change.org petition to John Key, and worked overtime to contact friends, family, staff and anyone she could think of to get involved. Support for her campaign exploded across the country, as thousands joined her in an urgent call to save the centre.

More than seven thousand people signed Kirsty’s petition on Change.org, hundreds posted messages directly to John Key on his Facebook wall, and media attention took off. In fact, PM Key was even questioned about his plans for the centre at a press conference today.

It’s an extraordinary example of people power, and a testament to the power of anyone, anywhere to start, join and win campaigns about issues they care about.

Thank you -- for being a part of saving this critical service, for the sexual abuse survivors who will now have somewhere to turn at their darkest moments, and for the staff who can now continue focusing on their important front line work.

Auckland Sexual Abuse Help is the 24 hour crisis service for those who report rape or sexual violence in Auckland. Unless the NZ government does something urgently to provide proper funding to keep this service operating, it will close in January - less than a month from now, after 30 years providing professional counselling and support to rape and sexual violence survivors. Members of the public can make the government hear how important this service is by letting the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice know they need to take responsibility for keeping this crucial service open, and funding it properly.

Save the 24 hour crisis line - speak up in support of Help for sexual violence survivors.

Send a message about why signed the petition directly to John Key on facebook here: http://on.fb.me/vaQ30r

And join the Facebook group to help stop the closure https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/300554253318529/

Why People Are Signing

Recent Signatures