Sadly, family violence is still a problem here in New Zealand, and the Waihi and Waihi Beach community are working together to address the issue locally.

Building on the national It's Not Ok campaign, Waihi and Waihi Beach now have 18 local trained ‘Champions'.

For the past two months, the champions have held stalls at local markets, distributed pamphlets, badges and pens, and talked to groups and organisations about family violence and what people can do to help victims, or those who might be hurting someone. And they are already getting results.

HFVIN coordinator Lauren Cowgill says in the weeks since the launch of the campaign, she has had a number of calls from people asking for support as a direct result of seeing the local champions in posters or in the media.

The campaign is funded by Hauraki Family Violence Intervention Network and Hauraki District Council.

Hauraki District Council has always supported the `It's Not Okay' campaigns. The concept of having local Champions originated in the Hauraki District, and Mayor John Tregidga and his council have been leading partners in every local campaign.

'My thinking has always been that getting on top of domestic violence is about the community,” says John.

'We shouldn't leave this to social services and police. Having community leaders like our local champions stand up, speak out and act to prevent violence really does make a difference.”

Local businesses are backing the campaign, placing 'It's Not OK' posters in their windows, donating prizes and sponsoring the soon to be installed billboards promoting the campaign around town. Local media has also been supportive of the Champions and their messages.

The campaign working group now plans to take these messages further, with an 'It's Not Ok' video, featuring Champions and other well-known locals, which will be shared via social media.

The video, produced and donated by Anne Marie and Scott Spicer, from Emotive Ltd, is based on the National It's Not Ok campaign and has it's own local feel, being filmed at the beach and in town.

'From the very outset, we wanted this campaign to be 'by the community, for the community', It's so important for all of our messaging to have a local flavour, and we are thrilled that so many people are connecting with us,” says Lauren.