Women's Refuge gets $3.6m from Justice for National Home Safety Service

Ngā Whare Whakaruruhau o Aotearoa - National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges (NCIWR) on behalf of the 41 affiliated member Women’s Refuges in partnership with Shakti New Zealand and the Pacific Island Safety and prevention Project are delighted to have been awarded the contract to run the National Home Safety Service.

Collectively, the partnership between these three organisations provides for a comprehensive set of domestic violence services and long-standing expertise on successful ways to address domestic violence. It offers a unique opportunity to provide specialist, expert-led services across New Zealand, which can be tailored so that the services are responsive to cultural needs. Our partnership means that we have an approach that effectively integrates domestic violence expertise with culturally appropriate responses for Māori, Pacific and migrant women.

"We are exceptionally well placed to deliver this service. Not only do we have over 40 years’ experience in the domestic and family violence sector in New Zealand, but we also have Refuges throughout the country, offering 24/7 support," said Women's Refuge acting Chief Executive Cheryl Gibbs.

“Domestic violence continues to result in serious harm, and even death, to mainly women and children across Aotearoa, New Zealand. It is critical that organisations come together to provide the best possible solutions and to ensure that whanau are safe and well. This ground-breaking partnership which draws together Maori and General whare, community-based services, culturally specific programmes and core expertise around domestic violence, provides an excellent opportunity to make a real difference in all our communities.

Together, we really can stop domestic violence.” said Chief Executive of Pacific Islands Safety & Prevention Project Peseta Betty Siō “Within the end to end integrated holistic services that this partnership provides, the home safety project will be an integral part of our initiative to keep vulnerable women victims and their children safe” said Shakti New Zealand Senior Advisor Shila Nair.

"While Women’s Refuge is most commonly recognised for our response in emergencies, we do a significant amount of work in our communities focussing on prevention and stopping re-victimisation. This new contract will allow us to do much more in this space," said Mrs Gibbs.

On behalf of our communities, and especially our women and children, we acknowledge Hon. Amy Adams for her wider commitment to addressing domestic and family violence, and specifically for her investment in the National Home Safety Service.

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