Welcoming Family Violence Death Review Findings

Stopping Violence Network Welcomes Family Violence Death Review Findings

Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga/National Network for Stopping Violence Services (Te Kupenga) welcomes the fifth report of the Family Violence Death Review Committee released yesterday.

“The Report is exceptionally well thought out and the ideas put forward from the Committee need to taken seriously not only by decision makers – but by all of us working in the family violence sector,” said Trevor Wilson, National Advocate.

Te Kupenga agrees with the Committee’s observation that society expects too much of women when it asks them to take the bulk of responsibility for their own safety, and for the safety of their children,

“Unlike other victims of crime, we expect victims of domestic violence to be responsible for stopping the offending against them and their children. We absolutely welcome the call for agencies to stop asking victims to keep themselves safe from abusive partners but take action to make sure they are safe.”

“We know that we all have to do much more to hold men to account for their violence and to enable men to take responsibility for ensuring their partners and children are not subjected to their violence. Men can and must change. The positive thing is that here are different ways we can support them to do so, including justice interventions,” says Mr Wilson.

Te Kupenga’s position is informed by community experts across New Zealand working in the stopping violence area.

“What our members have been telling us for years is that more focus and investment is needed to change the behaviour of violent offenders. We need to shift the narrative from being around women’s responsibility for their own safety to focusing on men taking responsibility for their violent behaviour.

Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga/National Network Stopping Violence Services is a network of 35 independent Domestic Violence intervention and prevention providers who work collectively with government and non-government providers to STOP Domestic Violence with in New Zealand.

ENDS

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