VisAble, a disabled person-led organisation in the fight to end abuse against disabled people*, welcomes the New Zealand government’s upcoming national apology addressing the historical abuse suffered by disabled people in state and faith based institutions. The long-overdue apology acknowledges the severe harm endured by disabled people, who have historically faced abuse and neglect at a much higher rate than the general population.

For far too long, disabled people in New Zealand were and are subject to inhumane treatment, violence, neglect and isolation while entrusted to care institutions. This history of abuse has inflicted deep wounds, leaving scars not only on the individuals directly affected but on the entire disabled community. Today, as we prepare to receive this long-awaited apology, we recognise the government’s public acknowledgment as a meaningful first step. However, true accountability must go beyond words.

"A genuine apology must come with a commitment to prevent such abuse from ever happening again," said Paul Gibson, CE of VisAble. "It must acknowledge and address the systemic factors that enabled this harm—factors that, with dedication, can and must be changed…abuse of disabled people still continues today."

Systemic abuse occurs when there are failures across institutions, policies, and cultural attitudes that marginalise disabled people, rendering them vulnerable to harm. While an apology signals progress, we are calling for specific actions that go beyond acknowledgment to create a future where disabled people are truly safe and supported.

Our Call for Lasting Action

1. Commitment to Preventative Measures: We urge the government to prioritise policies that protect disabled people across all care settings. We need clear guidelines, oversight, and accountability measures that prevent abuse from occurring in the first place.

2. Strengthening Safeguards: Disability-led advocacy groups and care organisations need support to work with the government in building strong, enforceable safeguards that protect the rights of disabled people. This includes funding for training programs that educate caregivers, health professionals, and service providers on how to identify, report, and prevent abuse.

3. Empowering Disabled People and Their Families: Ensuring that disabled people have the tools and resources to speak up about abuse is essential to preventing it. Empowering individuals with the means to self-advocate and educating families about the signs of abuse and the importance of speaking out will further ensure accountability within the system.

4. Creating a Culture of Inclusion and Respect: The roots of abuse are often tied to systemic ableism and discrimination. By fostering an inclusive society that values disabled people, we can dismantle the harmful beliefs that allow abuse to persist.

5. Implement all the recommendations of the abuse in Care inquiry.

6. Respond to adults at risk (who are called “vulnerable adults in the Crimes Act”) in a mana enhancing, disability informed way to ensure their safety from abuse.

7. Treat people experiencing violence or risk of violence in close contact situations such as group homes as family violence, consistent with the Family Violence act.

8. Ensure people experiencing abuse, or put at risk of abuse , after recent Disability Support services funding changes are supported and resourced to live safely.

Our mission remains clear: to end abuse against disabled people and support a society where everyone can live in dignity, safety, and respect. This apology, while welcomed, must be accompanied by concrete steps to bring about systemic change. Only with these actions can New Zealand move forward and create a future free from abuse for all disabled people.

About VisAble:

VisAble is a New Zealand-based, disability-led not-for-profit organisation dedicated to ending abuse against tāngata and whānau whaikaha Māori, tagata sa’ilimalo, d/Deaf, neurodivergent. Our work centres on building capability within individuals, organisations, and communities to respond to and prevent abuse, with a vision of a safer, more inclusive society for all.

VisAble acknowledges the critical support of Whaikaha in funding the Disability Abuse Prevention and Response (DAPAR) approach, and Te Puna Aonui for safeguarding and capability funding.

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