Check out these 2 videos filmed for us in April 2020 by Sharon Armstrong (Ngati Kahungunu), who became a victim of romance fraud in April 2011, when she was arrested at an airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with five kilos of cocaine concealed in a suitcase. She spent 2.5 years in prison in Argentina, far from her family and friends, fighting to prove that she knew nothing of the drugs she was carrying.
1. Staying Safe and Well in Isolation
In her first video, Sharon shares with us how she worked through isolation in prison, building her resilience and well-being, and focusing on the future. She discusses her ideas, tips and tricks for staying positive and well when you feel isolated.
2. Tips for Online Safety
In her second video, Sharon shares her valuable learnings of what we can do to keep the most vulnerable among us safe from online fraudsters and scammers, who may be looking to exploit those feeling isolated during lockdown.
About the presenter
Sharon Armstrong (Ngati Kahungunu) is a justice worker, author and public speaker. She has shared her experience of romance fraud in her book ‘Organised Deception’, launched in March 2018, to highlight the many issues that victims of fraud face.
She advocates for victims/survivors and their families who have been exploited in some way by scammers and is working to get legislative change made in Aotearoa to protect victims of this type of fraud.
By using her experience as an example for others, she hopes to show that anyone can overcome adversity. We just need time to rise above it and grow from the experience.
Thank you Sharon… that was wonderful and helpful. Thank you for your honesty and openness. I found the idea of parking the hard stuff very helpful, coming back to it when you feel strong and positive and creative. I have found ways to be comfortable in our new way of being but I do still have moments when it can be overwhelming… I am still working on the ‘letting it go’ 😉
Thank you for your feedback. Keep working on the letting it go. It truly is liberating 🌺 Kia kaha. Sharon.
Kia ora Sharon, thank you for sharing your experience and providing strategies for comping not only in a lock down situation but whenever we have overwhelming challenges in our lives.
Nga mihi atu ki a koe.
Iris Pahau
Thank you ☺️ Iris for your feedback. Ngā mihi maioha, nā Sharon.
Kia Ora Whaea,
Nga mihi aroha mo tenei koha. Beautiful gift to all who watch this. strategies are awesome.
Na Matewawe Pouwhare
Ngā mihi aroha ki a koe Matewawe. Thank you for your kind feedback 🤗 nā, Sharon
Ngā mihi Sharon for sharing the wisdom you’ve obtained through hardship. I plan to share this with my staff to assist them with the uncertainty of their current situation with COVID-19.
Nāku noa nā
Polly Martin
Kia ora Polly. Please let me know if any of your staff have any questions or would like a further explanation on a particular aspect of my kōrero. Ngā mihi Maioha, nā, Sharon
Tena koe Sharon
A wonderful insight into your strength and practical strategies to get through hardships. I can relate to your korero and love being reminded of simple day to day practises to make life flow! Living and breathing the learnings of Te Whare Tapa Wha is an incredible paradigm to immerse yourself and your whanau into. Above all it was beautiful to see and hear you again, until we share a sunset again, take care.
Thanks heaps for your feedback Tania. It’s always good to know that your own learnings/reflections may resonate or be helpful for someone else. I’m really looking forward to sharing another sunset with you as well. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Ka nui te aroha e hoa xx
Thank you my friend for sharing your deep insight and experience. You are such a beautiful soul. All the best x.
Ngā mihi e hoa. Right back at you! Ka nui te aroha x
Ka ao, ka awatea! Ngā mihi nui rawa atu Sharon, ki a koe i whakapuaki nei i ngā whakawai piki heke o tō ao e te hoa. Heoi anō tāku, he mihi, i whakarongo ai te ngākau ki o kōrero e te hoa, me te kite i te ora o tō wairua, tō kanohi. Kia kaha, me ngā manaakitanga a te runga rawa ki a koe.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe hoki e hoa. He tino roa te wā! Thank you so much Wena for your kind words. I hope all is well with you and your study? Ka nui te aroha x
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe hoki e hoa. He tino roa te wā! Thank you so much Wena for your kind words. I hope all is well with you and your study? Ka nui te aroha x