'I know how that feels' - Minister tears up during campaign launch

Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro hosted the launch of a new campaign at Government House this morning, aimed at teaching kids how to speak out and find help if they experience abuse – and the event drew tears from the Minister for Children.

Life Education Trust, Save the Children and Women's Refuge have all joined forces to support the campaign, which is centred around a new book, The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus.

"I hosted it obviously, unusually, because I thought the resource is an important resource for New Zealanders to have, and it's about kids being able to acknowledge, recognise their feelings, see them as legitimate and find a way to process them, and deal with them," Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro said.

The story written by Avril McDonald was read to a handful of students from Newtown School at Government House for the first time today.

It aims to break the culture of silence that has surrounded sexual and other forms of abuse in New Zealand.

"This is the problem, it sits in the shadows, sunlight is the best disinfectant," Minister for Children Karen Chhour said.

The book delivers children the message of seeking out a trusted adult until they find one who believes them and will act on their behalf to help keep them safe and secure.

Chhour cried at the launch and said she is "always quite emotional about this topic".

"From experience myself of going through harm as a young person, and feeling that shame, and feeling like nobody would believe you, I know how that feels and so I kind of resonated with that story of [how] you've got to fight through the shame," she said.

"It's not just up to young people to rescue themselves, but it's up to us as a society to rescue them too."

Kiro added: "This helps guide where children can go to for help."

The book is available from feelbrave.com, while the digital storybook could be purchased from the App Store from today.

It was set to be available from Google Play and Amazon later this month.