Support Us

Coming In From The Cold

26 New Zealand male survivors share their personal stories of sexual abuse

In a new publication that records the last 10 years in the development of Tautoko Tāne Aotearoa, you will read the stories of 26 Tautoko Tāne staff and clients who have generously shared their survivor experiences to raise awareness of the impacts of sexual violence and to support the important work of the only national network in New Zealand that is dedicated to enabling the wellbeing of male survivors.

Buy now

‘Close to tears’: How two men took down a Marist ‘monster’

Charles Afeaki, a Marist Brother and schoolteacher, was prolific in his sexual offending against his pupils in the 1970s. This month, he stood trial again on charges which have ruined his victims’ lives. Steve Kilgallon reports.

Charles Afeaki walked slowly into courtroom 16 of Auckland District Court leaning on a cane. He was 81 years old, and frail. He didn’t remove his trench coat as he sat down next to his lawyer. He needed a hearing loop to listen to the evidence against him.

He was no longer as Tāne Davies* remembered him. To an 11-year-old Tane, his standard two teacher at Marist Brothers school back in Invercargill in 1975 was “a monster. A big Tongan guy. Big, big puku”.

There was an extended shuffle to ensure that when Tane came to give evidence in the trial of Charles Afeaki, the pair never came eye to eye inside courtroom 16.

Afeaki was moved into the dock, and a portable screen with neon lights, held together with sticky tape, was wheeled across to block the line of sight to the witness box. Then Tane entered the courtroom, not from the main door, but from the judges’ chambers. Despite all that manoeuvring, he caught a glimpse of Afeaki, and saw not the monster, but a diminished old man.

Justice had been a long time catching up with Charles Afeaki, but it had now arrived, and Tane and another survivor of his abuse, Robbie West*, would finally get their day.

Read full article

Thank you for your donation. Our survivor community appreciates your support.

$
Personal Info

Credit Card Info
This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

Donation Total: $10.00

The Inland Revenue Department has confirmed that Male Survivors Te Ta Tokerau has Donation Organisation Status and we welcome Donations to our Charitable Trust. Individuals making donations can claim Tax Credits for income tax purposes for cash donations of $5 or more, see Section LD 1 of the Income Tax Act 2007.

Tax Deductions

Please email us including your address to [email protected] for your receipt which you will need for tax purposes.