Consumer spending outlook on the rise for 2025, police monitoring after gang tangi and South Korean lawmakers vote to impeach president in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
“A third ofNew Zealand adults (30.2%) have experienced physical and sexual violence offences committed by an intimate partner in their lifetime,” the plan says.
“Family violence and sexual violence, however, can take many forms, including psychological abuse. When taking this into account, 56% of women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. This is higher for wāhine Māori.”
To address this, the Government is working on seven key areas over the next five years – investing and commissioning well, keeping people safe, stopping violence, protecting children and young people, strengthening our workforce, taking action on sexual violence and preventing violence before it starts.
The plan has seven key areas of focus. Photo / 123RF
Agencies will focus on the first three over the next two years, and the plan lays out individual actions that will be taken to assist this.
For example, by June 2026, the Government will have undertaken a review into funding for family and sexual violence services and initiatives. Currently, more than $1.3 billion is spent in these areas annually by the Government.
The Government believes this review will “identify opportunities to prioritise funding where it will have the most impact for people and communities”.
“We need to ensure this funding is being invested in what works and that we stop doing things that are not effective,” the plan says.
In the “stopping violence” space, the Government will introduce stalking as a new offence – legislation was introduced this month – and extend rehabilitation support to prisoners on remand.
“These programmes play a crucial role in reducing reoffending. This action ensures people who commit violent offences can access the services they need to break the cycles of violent behaviour and leave remand with better and with brighter prospects.”
The action plan was launched at an event in Auckland on Sunday attended by Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour, Police Minister Mark Mitchell, and Social Development Minister Louise Upston.
Chhour made a point of noting how this reflected the cross-Government commitment to reducing harm.
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour. Photo / Jamie Ensor
“These focus areas require deeper collaboration across Government to deliver change. Ministers want to see Government agencies working more closely together,” she said.
The minister said the new plan would “build on progress under the first Action Plan to focus agencies’ collective efforts on practical improvements to keep people safe”.
“It will also help stop violence through better services for people who use violence, and accelerate progress on investing and commissioning services that we know will work.
“The Action Plan also provides for improvements to protect children and young people, strengthen workforces, take action on sexual violence, and expand primary prevention. “
The first “Outcomes and Measurement Framework” report for Te Aorerekura was released this month, highlighting key insights about family and sexual violence in New Zealand.
Among the key points was that the decline in family violence offending against adults may have slowed. The percentage of adults experiencing offences declined from 10% in 2005 to 6% in 2013. But there was no significant change between 2018 and 2023.
At the same time, sexual abuse of children and young people may have increased to 2001 levels after declining between 2001 and 2012. Most of this increase was attributed to an increase in sexual violence against female students.
The report also highlighted feedback about how people felt attempting to access support services.
“Communities disproportionately impacted by violence generally do not feel they are listened to by government agencies. These communities are not always able to access services tailored to their needs.”
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.
