National Day of Action Against ACC funding cuts
Monday October 19 was a national day of action against ACC's proposed changes to funding for sexual abuse counseling. Under the new criteria, survivors will only be eligible for ACC covered counseling if they have been diagnosed as having a mental injury, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV.
In Auckland, over 200 people gathered in Albert Park to show their support for survivors and protest the ACC cuts to counseling. Speakers from Rape Prevention Education, Courageous Women, Labour Party, the Greens and End Rape Culture Now! (the organisers of the march) spoke about the importance of this issue and why it is necessary to oppose these new changes to ACC. [ More ]
In Wellington, about 200 people gathered at the Cenotaph in Lambton Quay, and rallied in front of parliament. Protestors left messages chalked in front of parliament building. The march then moved on to the ACC offices in Molesworth Street, which was protected by a handful of cops and security goons. A representative read out a list of demands to ACC. Protestors left post-it notes and chalk messages on the street-face of the building to explicate the positions of abuse survivors in the crowd.[ More ]
Around 150-200 people gathered for a march in Christchurch. Speakers included Ken Clearwater from Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust and Marie Meyer, Chairperson for Canterbury and Westcoast NZ Association of Counsellors.[ More ]
In dunedin around 50 people from all walks of life marched from ACC offices to the National Party headquarters and then to the octagon to listen to speakers talk about the impact these changes will have. [ More ]
Support and Solidarity to friends and families harmed by Sexual Abuse.
Further actions are planned for the Tuesday October 27, the day the changes are to be implememnted. In Christchurch, meet in the Cathedral Square and march to ACC offices. Other centres will be posted up soon.
More info:
notoacc.blogspot.com
endrapeculture.org.nz
Comments
A big thankyou to everybody
A big thankyou to everybody who protested against the ACC cuts yesterday.
To paraphrase Che Guevara: it was good to see one, two, three, many protests against the ACC cuts.
Christchurch march.Jared
Christchurch march.
Jared
Great article Ms. Lilith!
Great article Ms. Lilith!
Wellington meeting
there's a meeting in wellington tomorrow, wednesday october 21, at 6:30pm in the blue room at 128 abel smith st to organise an action on the day of implementation (or whatever day people have energy for).
Here's a video of the Auckland march
Did anything happen on
Did anything happen on implementation day?
on the day of implementation
on the day of implementation there was supposed to be a march in Ch-Ch, I say supposed to be because it was raining heavily all morning and only two people (and a man) showed up! The two women went and drew messages outside the ACC offices,and were impressed by some graffitti that appeared to have been written the night before on the door and window's of the ACC building they handed out flyers and talked to passerbys, and chalked further up the road. It was announced later that day that there is going to be a review of the changes that were going to be implemented and that it will be 6 months before a decision would be made due to the lack of faith in the changes that had been expressed by the public..a small victory for us I say! But we must continue to raise awareness of the issues and keep building support for keeping what is now in place and demanding more for survivors of sexual abuse and assault.
jo p.