This Kaupapa Māori (by Māori, for Māori) investigation used a thematic and interpretive phenomenological analysis to explore and understand the lived realities of 6 young Māori mothers (aged 14–19 years) who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and to examine the extent to which service responsiveness has been culturally safe. These mothers were participating in the E Hine longitudinal maternal healthcare study and consented to narrative interviews for this research. Their stories revealed ways in which young Māori women resist violence, reclaim their Māori identities, and experience personal transformation during their motherhood journeys despite abuse. The stories also showed that whānau (extended family) can both perpetuate violence and be extremely protective. The analysis demonstrated that structural and institutional barriers prevent culturally safe service responsiveness for young Māori women. For example, they described racism at the frontlines of government agencies and pervasive victim-blaming. The researchers identified a lack of earnest decolonial structural change at the institutional level.
