Police are calling on people to take a stand against family violence after the death of a woman suspected to be at the hands of her partner.
Police found the body of the 38-year-old woman in the bedroom of her home in the forestry village of Kaingaroa, 50km southeast of Rotorua, about 10.15pm on Friday.
The Herald on Sunday identified the woman as Luana "Arni" Raukawa, a mother of six, who shared the home with her 33-year-old partner, who appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Saturday charged with assault.
The man was remanded in custody to re-appear on Wednesday. It is likely he will face more serious charges, police say.
An autopsy is being carried out on Sunday and police also expect to finish a scene examination of the Groome St property on Sunday.
Police have spoken to numerous people in the township over the death, Rotorua CIB chief Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper says.
"Initial inquiries are likely to be completed today and indications are that it was domestic-related."
Rotorua area commander Inspector Bruce Horne says the death is another tragedy in an area which has seen too much sadness in the last year.
It has also closely followed White Ribbon Day on Wednesday where people are encouraged to wear a white ribbon to show they do not condone violence towards women.
"Less than 48 hours after the close of White Ribbon Day we have experienced another terrible case of family violence, resulting in the needless death of a woman.
"We have to keep working together to break the cycle of family violence. Although some wonderful work has been done in recent years to both raise awareness of the problem and improve the level of response from the agencies working in this area, we still clearly have a long way to go."
Family violence is "not OK" and people need to say `no' to it, he says.
"Saying `no' means working up the courage to take positive action whenever and wherever you come across family violence. You have to take sides. Neutrality only ever helps the offender, never the victim."
The Herald on Sunday reported Raukawa was related to former Women's refuge chief executive Merepeka Raukawa-Tait.
Shop owners Pat Hitua and Pam Kaitapanui, where Raukawa worked casually, say they are shocked to hear of her death.
"She would come in and give us a hand - she was good with the customers.
"She was fun, a lovely person and we'll miss her," they say.
The dead woman is believed to have had six teenage children. They live with their father outside Kaingaroa.
