Frontline services excited by Government addressing violence
Frontline services excited by Government’s forward momentum in addressing domestic violence
A major
national domestic violence network has enthusiastically
welcomed today’s announcement by the Government of a joint
venture approach to addressing family and sexual violence in
Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spokesperson and Kaiarahi, Merran
Lawler on behalf of Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi
Patunga/National Network of Stopping Violence Services said
the announcement represented a significant opportunity for
finding genuine solutions to address the country’s
appalling rates of domestic violence.
“Past government approaches to domestic violence prevention and intervention have been piecemeal, disconnected from communities and hampered by the siloed thinking which Under-Secretary Jan Logie spoke of today. Those working to support victims and their children and those working with perpetrators to challenge and change behaviours have long advocated for a joined-up system in which those responsible for developing and implementing government domestic violence programmes, policies and approaches are singing from the same song book and are accountable to those impacted by that violence.
We are particularly pleased to see the
Government committing to the development of a national
strategy and action plan – a plan which is not simply the
province or property of government ministers and a handful
of bureaucrats but which is developed and implemented in
partnership with the wider community, with those impacted by
domestic violence and with those who work at the coalface of
domestic violence prevention, intervention and
recovery.”
Ms Lawler said that past practices,
particularly in terms of government funding of domestic
violence services, had created an unhealthy environment of
competition rather than collaboration, of shifting blame
rather than embracing responsibility and of shutting out the
voices of those with the greatest insights and contributions
to make towards a violence-free Aotearoa.
“The
promise of a vehicle for an integrated and collaborative
response to both domestic and sexual violence, a vehicle
driven by government but guided, informed by and accountable
to the wider community (including the experts who currently
work at the frontline and most importantly the people
impacted by family and sexual violence) feels like real
forward momentum in addressing the scourge of violence which
afflicts us. We look forward to working in collaboration
with government in ensuring that forward momentum is
maintained and the end goal of all but eliminating family
and sexual violence is
achieved.”
ends