The Government has promised survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care that they will be heard, but many are worried the situation won't change.
After more than six years of evidence, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care will present its final report to Parliament on Wednesday.
But even as the report addresses a history of abuse, some survivors, advocates, and experts believe abuse is continuing.
Among them is Gwyneth Beard, who suffered abuse after being placed in state care when she was 11.
"Nobody listened to me. Nobody heard what I was saying," she said.
When asked if things had gotten better since then, Beard said, "No, it's worse."
She refused to stay silent about her experience and now volunteers at a hub in the heart of Christchurch's Aranui to help others navigate the system.
"If I had the ability to have someone like me in my life, to work with me and my whānau, I wouldn't have had to go through the system because the system wasn't good," she said.
"Don't just go in there and uplift the child from the frying pan into the fire; and that is what's happening more times than anything."
'Unavoidable for the Government to avoid any longer'
The report is due to be released next week, but human rights lawyer Sonja Cooper fears the issues will not be properly addressed.
"Our worry is that the Government will pay lip service to the recommendations," she said.
"We know the final report's nearly 2500 pages, and we know it's multiple volumes.
"I think it's going to be unavoidable for the Government to avoid any longer the scale, and nature, and seriousness of abuse that has happened to vulnerable people — mainly children — in the care of state and faith-based organisations in New Zealand."
Cooper has been working in the sector for 30 years and doesn't believe much has changed.
"Our client group continues to grow," she said.
"I mean, this year, we've had more than a new file opened every single day."
The office of the minister in charge, Erica Stanford, said Wednesday would be a significant day for New Zealand and would be all about the survivors. She promised they would be heard.
Beard remained optimistic that change is possible.
"With organisations like us — on-the-ground, community organisations that work for whānau — we will be able to change what's happening out there."
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