Christchurch-based Lisa Mead spent years suffering domestic abuse at the hands of her partner. She is keen to stress it was abuse, not just violence. Violence, she says, is easy for people to understand but domestic abuse can be everything from manipulation and coercion to economic control. In the pandemic she sat down and started writing the story of how she came to leave her partner Tommy, the father to her son, Dakota. The result is her book: Breaking Good. It's a bruises-and-all story, but also - one of hope. It's been written with the blessing of Tommy. Lisa is a chartered accountant, and runs her own accountancy and business advisory firm, Social Currency. The company donates 10 per cent of its revenue to various charities that support at-risk kids.
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Where to get help:
Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843
It's Not OK 0800 456 450
Shine: 0508 744 633
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - then press 0
The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies
