Tauranga’s student body will show their support for people suffering family violence due to the initiative of Ōtūmoetai College student Robert Unsworth.

The Year 13 student has created a family violence awareness day that students can get behind, called Purple Token Day – to be held next Thursday, September 21.

Purple Token Day is a non-uniform day, inviting students to wear a purple item and donate to family violence prevention charities.

“I saw there were lots of initiatives for family violence prevention in New Zealand but none really that catered to the student body,” says Robert.

After discovering some unsettling facts about family violence in Aotearoa, Robert says this grew his passion for starting Purple Token Day.

“I’m not sure that a lot of people understand how big of an issue it is in New Zealand because I definitely didn’t.”

Robert say there’s a very low percentage – at 30 per cent – of family violence cases reported in our country.

“The main reason people don’t report their cases is because they don’t know what their future will look like if they report, if they escape their home with violence… especially if they have kids.

“They won’t know if their kids will have a good life.”

However, Robert says Purple Token Day shows there is support and solidarity for family violence victims.

“They just need to do the first step and then they’ve got all the support they need.”

While trying to understand more about family violence, Robert reached out to MP Angie Warren-Clark, who is a former Tauranga Women’s Refuge manager.

“We were just bouncing ideas off each other and she said: ‘The mufti day idea is a great idea. You should run with that’ and from there she’s been supporting me.”

Robert, who has all Tauranga secondary schools on-board with Purple Token Day, says Bethlehem College took part early and raised $1300.

“That goes straight to Tauranga Women’s Refuge. It’s so cool. I just know it will be so beneficial.

“I’m hoping to raise as much awareness on this issue as possible and show as much support for the family violence victims so they are encouraged to speak up.”

Purple Token Day is Thursday, September 21. Encourage local secondary school students to get in purple and donate!