Whanganui family harm, domestic violence reports rise, but new response brings success

Whanganui family harm team kaihautu Judith Browne (left) and police senior sergeant Mike Craig are working to help families out of violent situations. Photo / Eva de Jong

Family harm incidents are increasing in Whanganui, but agencies say increased reporting and new ways of responding are leading to good results.

Data obtained by the Chronicle shows family harm around Whanganui continues to be a persistent, entrenched issue that requires a consistent response from police.

However, the frontline workers responding to family harm events say Whanganui’s approach is leading to ongoing success for families, and more incidents of violence are being reported to agencies.

Seven years ago, in 2018, there were 3343 police family harm investigations in Whanganui. Since then, that number has fluctuated year-on-year but increased to 4665 in 2024.

Of the 4665 investigations, there were 3050 with no offences and 1615 with criminal offences.

Whanganui Family Harm team police senior sergeant Mike Craig, who is in his third year of the job, said they “were never short of work”.

He felt Whanganui’s approach to family harm was leading to more successful outcomes because of prioritising partnerships between police and iwi, and maintaining a less threatening stance in approaching families.

“We’ve had some pretty outstanding success,” Craig said.

The family harm team is not located at Whanganui’s police station which means victims can walk into a less imposing environment.

The team of about 12 includes two detectives, four constables and two iwi-based workers, and tries when visiting households to “have only one car up the driveway”.

Lack of food, inadequate employment options and not having a driver’s licence were areas the team might intervene in to transform a family’s situation to prevent violence or abuse.

Whanganui family harm team kaihautū Judith Browne said she felt the community, especially neighbours, were more aware and willing to report violent events.

“I think victims and survivors are reporting more these days than they did maybe five years ago,” Browne said.

Last December, police carried out 487 family harm investigations, the highest number per month recorded for 2024.

Across the past seven years, December and January have consistently been the worst months with the highest numbers of family harm investigations recorded.

Whanganui Women’s Refuge manager Jo Voice said it was impossible to give an exact reason for why December and January were so busy, but the circumstances impacting families during those summer months might influence the spike in incidents.

“There’s financial pressures around providing for your family at Christmas, and also there’s the whole issue of not earning as much around that time of year,” Voice said.

“Obviously, New Zealand has a bit of a drinking culture and that’s our summer season so you can add that into the mix.

“There’s also the different routines and changes in household dynamics.

“It could be all of these and none of these things that are causing it.”

The Whanganui family harm team covers Waverley, Whanganui and stretches into southern Rangitīkei towns such as Marton, Bulls and Hunterville.

Craig said Whanganui averaged seven to eight family harm events a day.

The demand for the team’s services has led to a new family harm position in Rangitīkei.

Since 2018, the most family harm investigations were in 2020, with 4898 investigations.

Voice said factors that were driving family violence continued to be the housing crisis, the cost of living and rising methamphetamine use.

“I can’t emphasise enough how grateful we are to our police and the support they provide families in crisis,” she said.

Craig said the service had observed both elder abuse and large age gaps between partners as a more common factor in violent relationships.

In many cases, older partners were taking advantage of younger females who were vulnerable because of their age, drug dependence or mental health issues, Craig said.

“Meth is of course playing a bigger and bigger part right across all crime trends,” he said.

Despite the continuing demands of the work to turn around violent situations, Craig also said it was a huge privilege to hear people’s stories.

“It’s rewarding when you see them come out the other side,” Craig said.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.