Family violence statistics show more people taking action

An 11.8 per cent increase in family violence offences in the last year is more good news than bad, the Families Commission says.

Police today released the crime statistics for New Zealand for the 2009/10 fiscal year. They show that there were 54,104 family violence offences compared to 48,389 recorded in 2008/09.

Commission Chief Executive Paul Curry says that at first glance this seems a worrying increase, but he cautions against interpreting the statistics as representing an increase in the prevalence of violence within New Zealand families.

“It is not possible from the police figures to say what, if any, proportion of the statistics actually represents an increase in family violence,” Mr Curry says. “What they do show is that such crime is more likely to be reported and dealt with. That’s a good thing.”

The Families Commission agrees with the police that the bulk of the increase in recorded violence offences is because of increased community awareness of family violence as an issue, and decreased community tolerance. This has resulted in increased levels of reporting and increased help seeking by perpetrators, victims and witnesses of family violence.

“The high profile White Ribbon Day and “It’s Not OK” campaigns, combined with the efforts of hundreds of community organisations throughout New Zealand, have helped ensure that family violence is now far more visible than it used to be. What we’re seeing is that the real level of violence is being brought into the open.”

However, with 45 of the 65 murders in New Zealand in the last year classified as family violence, Mr Curry says that anti-violence campaigners cannot sit back and say “job well done.”

“One murder, one assault, one abuse of a child is too much,” Mr Curry says. “As a society we must support police and protect our families by continuing to take an active stand against family violence in any form and wherever it occurs.”

ENDS

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