The prevention of family violence and sexual violence will significantly improve the wellbeing of all women in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Violence against women comes in many different forms and is any pattern of behaviour that is used to gain or maintain power and control over women. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, and psychological actions, or threats of actions, that influence and potentially harm another person.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, one-third of women have experienced physical, sexual, or coercive violence from an intimate partner in their lifetimes. This is even higher for wāhine Māori, Pacific women, disabled women, and the rainbow community.
The causes for violence against women are complex. The impacts of violence are serious, long-lasting, and often fatal. This is costly to victims, families, communities, and the country, and is acknowledged as a major barrier to gender equality.
Violence against women can be prevented. Preventing violence against women and girls will be an effective way of ensuring that they are free from violence throughout their lives. Preventing the first incident of violence can go a long way to addressing the costs of violence against women to individuals, families, and society.
The Ministry’s current work to prevent violence against women and girls:
- providing gendered policy advice and support to Te Puna Aonui and the implementation of Te Aorerekura: the National Strategy for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence and the Action Plan
- working with key partner government agencies and non-governmental organisations to raise awareness on the different forms of violence and harm, share best practice and resources, and collaborate on projects
- participating in the Family Violence Death Review Committee as an agent, reviewing specific reports
- working with international counterparts on initiatives, including the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, to address online harm
- publishing and promoting research and data on the impacts of different forms of harm and violence on women and girls
- providing gender and intersectional family violence training.