A new report into family violence is recommending kaupapa Maori-based research centres be set up to find culturally relevant ways of stopping domestic abuse amongst tangata whenua.
The idea is included in the [Glenn Inquiry's People's Blueprint, http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/260465/glenn-inquiry-releases-final-report] which was released in Auckland today.
Read the People's Blueprint report (PDF)
The report says Maori children are five-and-a-half times more likely to die from child abuse than those in other ethnic groups.
However, it says not enough is known about the nature of violence among Maori and there needs to be specific research into the historical, social and cultural context of the problem.
The blueprint says intervention and prevention programmes for whanau need to be kaupapa Maori-based and uphold the mana of people seeking help.
It also recommends research into abuse in takatapui, or queer Maori relationships, which the inquiry says are at greater risk of violence yet often endure further abuse when trying to break the cycle.