Auckland Women's Centre

25/05/2026

Today stalking is a crime in Aotearoa

Members of the Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children gathered at Auckland Women's Centre ahead of the new stalking law coming into force today Tuesday 26 May.

We thank everyone who helped make this happen. The people who signed and shared petitions, answered surveys, made submissions, pushed for change and kept showing up.
By our powers combined, this law is now stronger for victim-survivors 💜

Tomorrow, we continue working to ensure the law is more than just paper. But for now we have a moment to pause feeling gratitude and pride in all of us, tātou, thank you! Thank you for being part of our active, supportive community.

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
Eastern Women's Refuge
Good Shepherd New Zealand
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission
HELP Support for Sexual Abuse Survivors
Clare Foundation
Hestia Rodney Women's Refuge
Hohou te Rongo Kahukura - Outing Violence
Inner City Women's Group
Kia Haumaru - Personal Safety Education
National Council of Women - Auckland Branch
National Council of Women of New Zealand
R**e Prevention Education – Whakatu Mauri
RespectEd Aotearoa
Women's Centre Rodney
Shakti NZ
Shine
Te Ārai Roa Manaaki
The Backbone Collective
Women's Health Action Trust
Ginny Andersen MP
Tamatha Paul
Kahurangi Carter
Women’s Refuge Tāmaki Makaurau
YWCA, Auckland

25/05/2026

So sad to hear of the passing of Jools Topp. An amazing musician and performer and a great ambassador for gender, rainbow and takatāpui rights. Sending much love to Linda and all of Jools family and friends. Check out these great photos:

One of the country's most beloved entertainers, Dame Jools Topp, has died at 68. As one half of the Topp Twins, Jools made countless appearances from the country to New York.

22/05/2026

Auckland Women's Centre manager Maia Hall spoke with Waatea News this morning about the government’s proposed transphobic gender bill, why it will make women and gender-diverse whānau less safe, and how the government is attacking the right of all our communities to live in safety, free from gender discrimination.

Aroha and solidarity to our trans and gender-diverse whānau ❤️

The Auckland Women’s Centre and its manager Maia Hall have strongly condemned the government’s proposed transgender bill while reaffirming their support for trans and gender-diverse communities across Aotearoa. Author Dale […]

21/05/2026

Wāhine mā - we’re extremely pleased to announce a new Kaupapa Māori guide for whānau Māori experiencing stalking & coercive control, commissioned by Auckland Women's Centre.

We are grateful to writers Tū Tama Wahine o Taranaki, designer/illustrator Jordan Tane (Ngāpuhi) and reviewers from the Auckland Women’s Centre’s Wāhine Māori lived-experience advisory group. Ngā mihi nui.

Tū Tama Wahine o Taranaki: “The guide is designed to reflect Te Ao Māori understandings and increase knowledge and awareness for improved safety and wellbeing across our communities. We hope that this resource creates space for whānau to engage in new conversations around tikanga Māori ways to support and encourage safe and tika behaviour.”

https://awc.org.nz/stalking-response-guide/

21/05/2026

Auckland Women's Centre condemns this government’s transphobic gender bill in the strongest possible terms.

“This bill is a direct attack on trans and gender-diverse whānau,” says Centre manager Maia Hall. “We are deeply angry at those in power who are doing the opposite of empowering our communities with protection and respect.”

This bill will make women and gender-diverse whānau less safe.

Any policing of gender gives authorities, predators and misogynists more power to police women’s bodies, appearance, identity and behaviour.

“It’s do**he bros giving themselves the right to judge and interfere in women’s lives - and it is not ok.”

At the very same time this government has:
• cut pay equity
• cut violence prevention funding
• removed relationships and sexuality education guidelines
• undermined women’s support services

“This is an abhorrent attempt by patriarchal politicians to divide our communities.”

We support the right of all our communities to live in safety, free from gender discrimination

18/05/2026

RespectEd Aotearoa, one of the few specialist sexual violence prevention organisations in the country, is to close after government's sector funding was withdrawn.

“We are not closing because the need has gone away.

We are closing because the funding did.”

- Jan Logie, RespectEd Aotearoa

RespectEd works with schools, workplaces, hospitality, prisons, government agencies and communities to prevent sexual violence before it happens.

This is prevention work.

Not crisis response after harm is already done.

And this forced closure is not happening in isolation.

This government has also:

• defunded women’s self defence initiatives
• removed Tiriti-based relationships and sexuality education guidelines from schools
• failed to invest in promised prevention programmes

At the exact moment misogyny, harassment and gendered violence are intensifying, the government is dismantling protections for our safety, freedom and democracy.

What exactly is being prioritised over women’s safety, freedom and rights?

The government should be massively increasing investment in violence prevention for safer, freer communities.

Not dismantling the groups doing that work.

We support RespectEd.

The government needs to fund RespectEd and increase investment across violence prevention now.

14/05/2026

Is Aotearoa too racist and sexist to still be a democracy?

This week the Waitangi Tribunal heard evidence of racism, misogyny, harassment and disinformation targeting wāhine Māori leaders.

Former Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau left Aotearoa to protect her wellbeing. A wāhine Māori leader driven out of public life and power by attacks on her identity as a woman, and her identity as Māori.

This is not random abuse. It is coordinated, strategic campaigns. Deliberate dehumanisation. Democracy cannot work properly when some voices are systematically intimidated into silence.

And while this happens, online platforms continue to profit from outrage, harassment and abuse. These systems are not neutral.
Vicious, misogynistic and racist attacks on democratically elected leaders have weakened democracy in New Zealand.

We support the real solutions proposed by leaders like Tory

✦ Government regulation to hold platforms accountable
✦ Coordinated responses to online harassment
✦ Better protections for wāhine Māori in public life

Because this is not an individual problem. It is a systems problem.

We all have a role to play in restoring our democracy to health. So for now, let's back the people doing the mahi. ✊🏽

Give people their flowers. Tell the leaders you admire that they are smashing it. Tell them you appreciate them. Tell them you love what they do. It costs nothing. It means everything.

Ngā mihi to Māni Dunlop and the team at Te Ao Māori News for their reporting on this kaupapa.

Read the full article here 👉
https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2026/05/11/tribunal-hears-wahine-maori-subjected-to-dehumanising-racism-misogyny-and-harassment-in-leadership/

06/05/2026

TICKETS JUST DROPPED - FEMINISTS ARE FUNNY 2026

Get ready to cackle your way through the night… Feminists Are Funny is BACK for its 10th year (proving feminists being funny is not a fad!)

📅 Sunday 14 June
📍 The Classic Comedy Club

Hosted by our spellbinding matriarch, Michèle A'Court (ONZM) who’s conjured up a lineup of hilarious wāhine comedians for us!

🎟️ Tickets are on sale NOW
Gather your coven (we have limited spaces and sell out every year!) 🖤 Tickets are sold by table, with sliding scale pricing.

Dress code: Witch, please! 🧙‍♀️
Come as your most magical, powerful self: witchy gothic, enchanted midnight forest vibes, capes, cauldrons, cats, hats, long dresses and coats…however you interpret the theme is great! (Dress up encouraged - prizes on the night 👀)

Your ticket helps to fund our mahi: protecting the rights, safety and wellbeing of women!

https://events.humanitix.com/feminists-are-funny-2026

05/05/2026

How do we make sure we're the best friendly local feminist centre?

Auckland Women's Centre's online community is a huge part of who we are - activists, trendsetters, lurkers - we want to hear from you!

Please help us decide on the activities, goals and events that will help make us the best intersectional feminist support we can be for our communities - online as well as local!

📎 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HKKTGHZ