Speak Now

Speak Now Registered New Zealand charity.

31/03/2026

Payge’s story is one many people will recognise, but not always understand.

In her late teens, she experienced sexual violence - something that deeply impacted how she saw herself, her body, and her sense of worth.

Years later, she became a caregiver to her dad during his battle with cancer. After losing him in 2025, she was left navigating a different kind of grief - one shaped by both loss and everything that came before it.

Her story isn’t about perfect healing. It’s about what it actually looks like to keep going, to face the past, and to slowly rebuild a sense of self.

Because trauma doesn’t just disappear - but it can be understood, carried differently, and no longer define you 🩷

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Note: We had some technical issues with Zoom, so this was recorded over Instagram video call which affected the visual quality 😅 However, Payge's full interview is available on YouTube (audio) and the link is in our bio 🌸

12/11/2025

Yesterday, on the 11th of November, my ex-partner was convicted in criminal court on multiple charges of serious family violence against me — including strangulation.

This video captures the minutes leading up to the phone call where I would hear the verdict — nearly three months after the trial ended and three and a half years after he was arrested.

—

Nearly five years ago, I met a man I thought loved me. I moved in with him, believing he would protect me from harm and that he would be my happily ever after. But he changed. He became violent — quickly.

Then I got sick with sepsis and nearly lost my life — but the abuse didn’t stop. It only got worse — then, and throughout my recovery.

I knew he would end up killing me, and in June 2022, I made one of the hardest choices of my life: I spoke up.

He was charged and arrested.

After countless delays, the trial finally began in April this year and came to an end in August.

Yesterday, the judge’s decision gave me back my life.

Words cannot express how unbelievably confusing, lonely, humiliating, soul-destroying, and terrifying the last five years of my life have been.

I lost everything — but I refused to give up.

This experience has changed not only the trajectory of my life but also who I am as a person.

I’m now committed (for life) to advocating for survivors and helping to fix a very broken system through my non-profit, Speak Now.

Soon, I’ll be sharing my (very complex) story in full on video.

I’m sharing this because I am unashamed to be a survivor and because silence protects the abuser. In Aotearoa, too many people endure violence in silence, failed by a system that often protects abusers instead of victims.

For now, I want to say thank you to everyone who stood by me, showed me compassion, and reminded me that there is love and understanding in a world that can feel so damn cruel.

Sentencing: 26 April 2026

💜

11/02/2025

Her full interview -

Nicole’s story is one we know all too well, but often shy away from because it’s too confronting. After a vicious attack by her husband - an event that made headlines - he’s now serving a 5-year prison sentence. Despite what happened, Nicole chose to stay. She’s fully aware of the risks and doesn’t encourage other women to do the same. But this is her story. Like many victims, Nicole’s heart is full of empathy. She wants to help him and hold her family together.

Her story matters because without understanding, there’s no empathy, and without empathy, how can we help? Hundreds of thousands of women make the tough choice to stay. What happens when we judge or abandon them? When they finally do decide to leave, they often have no one, and this can create a perilous cycle of going back out of fear of being alone. The shame is isolating enough.

Please, don’t give up on women like Nicole. If you can, offer help. Or, at the very least, be grateful you don't know what it's like to be her.

Together, we can make a difference.

21/01/2025

Domestic violence doesn’t pick a type – it can happen to anyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. It’s not just a problem for the poor or the vulnerable – it’s everywhere. Whether you're in the city or the countryside, anyone can be affected.

Let’s stand together and speak up. No one should live in fear, and no one is alone in this. We’ve got the power to break the cycle and create a future where respect and love lead the way. 💜

16/01/2025

Nicole’s Story

Nicole’s story is one we know all too well, but often shy away from because it’s too confronting. After a vicious attack by her husband - an event that made headlines - he’s now serving a 5-year prison sentence. Despite what happened, Nicole chose to stay. She’s fully aware of the risks and doesn’t encourage other women to do the same. But this is her story. Like many victims, Nicole’s heart is full of empathy. She wants to help him and hold her family together.

Her story matters because without understanding, there’s no empathy, and without empathy, how can we help? Hundreds of thousands of women make the tough choice to stay. What happens when we judge or abandon them? When they finally do decide to leave, they often have no one, and this can create a perilous cycle of going back out of fear of being alone. The shame is isolating enough.

Please, don’t give up on women like Nicole. If you can, offer help. Or, at the very least, be grateful you don't know what it's like to be her.

Watch Nicole’s full interview by clicking the link:
https://youtu.be/C_Btb5-zIhI?si=45i5iV5CUJJTSfMF

Together, we can make a difference.

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