The Ministry of Internal Affairs hosted a bike rally on Thursday as part of its 16 Days of Activism for White Ribbon, a global movement to end domestic violence.

The event, which started at the Punanga Nui Market and concluded at the Tupapa Field, replaced the traditional march with a motorbike procession, aiming to spark awareness and promote change in the Cook Islands.

“This year, we decided on a bike rally to encourage men—often the ones committing domestic violence—to stand up and make a statement that domestic violence is not okay,” said Tevaea Maea, executive assistant at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“It’s a positive initiative, especially when we’ve been seeing so many vehicle crashes. Today, vehicles are being used for a purpose—to show that violence in any form is unacceptable.”

The rally featured classic motorbikes and community members dressed as various characters to draw interest.

“It’s heartening to see more people coming forward to share their experiences. It shows that the movement is making a difference.”

Among the participants was Paul Lynch, who said: “This cause is so important for our community,” Lynch said. “Domestic violence hurts everyone—women, children, and families. As men, we have a responsibility to lead with love.”

Lynch emphasised the role of men in breaking the cycle of abuse, which often stems from generational patterns.

“Just because you saw violence as a child doesn’t mean you have to repeat it. You can break that cycle in one generation by deciding to stand against domestic violence,” he said.

“We say we’re a Christian nation, but we need to live it out—with love for our wives and children. Change starts with me, and every man in the Cook Islands should think the same.”

The Ministry hopes the rally will continue to spark dialogue and empower individuals to break the silence around domestic violence, creating safer and more loving homes across the Cook Islands.