Rape Prevention Education Concerned at Increase in Sexual Violence

Louise Nicholas, Survivor Advocate for Rape Prevention Education Whakatu Mauri says “It is good news that the overall crime rate including family-related violence and family-related murders has reduced.

It is concerning however that in the same period sexual assaults reported to the Police have increased by 12.4% (up 366 offences to 3,327). These are not just numbers. Each of these reports represents a life shattered by sexual violence.

Dr Kim McGregor Executive Director of Rape Prevention Education Whakatu Mauri said: “Could the drop in family violence be because the Police and government have mostly focused on family violence and not sexual violence over the last two decades?

For example, the multi-million dollar ‘It’s Not OK Campaign’ did not include any mention of child sexual abuse – yet we know that approximately one in four girls and one in eight boys is likely to experience sexual violence before the age of 16 years.

The sexual violence intervention sector has received approximately a third of the funding family violence has been allocated over the last twenty years and struggles to deal with the high rates of sexual violence reported in every community throughout New Zealand.

Perhaps it is time for the Police and government to turn their attention and resources to address sexual violence.

An immediate solution would be to implement the 70 recommendations in the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence report that was described by the government as the most comprehensive road-map on sexual violence prevention, services for survivors and offenders, and the criminal justice system that any New Zealand government had ever received”.

ENDS

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