Maori healthworkers are overjoyed at the new recommendations that have been put to ACC regarding their sensitive claims pathway for sexual abuse victims. There is a Maori pathway to heal Maori victims of sexual abuse.© 2010 Television New Zealand Ltd
Ripeka August-Tampaeu: "The changes that we recommended have finally been addressed and now we're goign to get on and do something about it." This is a result of an independent review of the changes ACC made to their sensitive claims pathway for sexual abuse victims in order for them to receive help. "The recommendation that we put in was to have a separate pathway for Maori or an alternative pathway for Maori to have and out of that look at tamariki and rangatahi as well. So we're looking at starting that as soon as possible."
Te Karere followed Ripeka August and other Maori sexual abuse workers in July when they put forward their submissions to the independent review panel. Their work has paid off. "We'll be bringing together a group of rangatira Maori within the field of sexual assault and rangatira Maori within te ao Maori to come together and develop a pathway."
ACC agree that action is required in some areas. Denise Cosgrove: "So we've done some really good work already with the sector on understanding their issues and concerns with the pathway and how we can make that and facilitate that process better for our clients." Despite the challenges of this job, the positive thing is that Maori now have the power to be able to build their own pathway to heal their own people.
http://tvnz.co.nz/te-karere/2010-wednesday-video-1027496
