About
Family violence is recognised as a significant and long-term social issue in Aotearoa New Zealand Many organisations, individuals and networks are trying to change that picture.
The Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration (CFVC) plays a vital part in achieving this mission. The CFVC was established in 2012 to provide support, connection and leadership within the local family violence sector of Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Separately, our members work in our own ways to help individuals and whānau.
As a collaborative, we bring our varied knowledge and expertise, and the collective experience of the people we support, to our shared vision:
“a community that values respectful relationships, and where families, whānau and individuals do not use physical, sexual or psychological violence”.
Our collaboration is a diverse group of for-purpose, non-governmental organisations and Government agencies. It includes specialist family and sexual violence support services, iwi, child-focused organisations, and mainstream organisations, all of which have clients whose lives are affected by family and/or sexual violence.
Together, we work to improve and enhance the response to family and sexual violence through system-wide innovation and improvement. We do this through:
Prevention - a focus on engagement and support that enhances prevention activities led by communities;
Workforce support and development - facilitating and organising training and networking opportunities to support our workforce; and
Advocacy and Communication - education, messaging, information and advocacy, by and for the people we support and serve.
Our Journey
ABOUT
OUR JOURNEY
FAMILY AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN NZ
The Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration was formed after the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The resulting loss of life, injury and massive damage to key infrastructure and services strongly increased the risk factors associated with family violence.
The impact of the earthquakes was immense. In the weekend following the September 2010 earthquake, Canterbury Police reported a 53% increase in call outs to family violence incidents (2011). Figures reported in 2013 indicated that not only had family violence immediately increased post-earthquakes, but it continued to increase.
In 2012, key leaders in the Canterbury family violence sector formed the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration to work systemically to address the unique challenges faced by the region. There were literally thousands of aftershocks throughout 2010 – 2012. This trauma was followed by the Port Hills’ fires of 2017 and, in March 2019, a horrific terrorist attack on Christchurch’s Muslim community, which killed 51 and injured many more.
The Covid pandemic of 2020 – 2022 then spiked family violence once again, leading to increases of 27–35% in reported family harm incidents.
All of these events further traumatised residents of the damaged city, and such experiences are known to lead to increased family violence.
The Response to Family and Sexual Violence
The need to better address family violence is acknowledged at all levels of our society and there is no quick or easy solution.
in December 2021, Aotearoa New Zealand’s central government released a new 25-year strategy - Te Aorerekura, the National Strategy for Family and Sexual Violence. This notes a commitment to “strengthening the capacity and capability in communities to prevent, respond and heal from violence” and promises to impact:
Social conditions and norms that contribute to family and sexual violence;
Communities’ ability to design, lead and deliver solutions
Government and community partnership
Development of skilled, culturally competent and sustainable workforces
Primary prevention, and
Joined up, easy to navigate services.
These are the spaces that the CFVC has been working in since 2012.
Family and Sexual Violence in New Zealand
ABOUT
OUR JOURNEY
FAMILY AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN NZ
Family and sexual violence are recognised as significant social issues in wider New Zealand and in Canterbury. One in three women in Aotearoa New Zealand have experienced physical, sexual, or coercive violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, rising to over half of New Zealand women when psychological violence is included. We have one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the OECD.
Disasters and violence
Disasters and traumas, such the 2010-2012 earthquakes and the Covid pandemic of 2020-2022 led to increases in family violence. The Family Courts, Police and Oranga Tamariki reported that during the operation of Covid Protection Framework Level 4 to Level 2, the number of family harm incidents reported ranged from 345 to 645 a day, compared to between 271 and 478 in the same period in 2019. (Stuff, 2020).
In Canterbury alone, there were almost 13,000 reports of family violence incidents in 2021. (Stuff, 2021). Family violence does not exist in isolation – it is proven to increase the risk of developing a mental health disorder or other chronic physical illness. (Te Ao Māori News).
Māori are over-represented in family violence statistics, and minorities who are disables, LGBTQIA and immigrant communities also re over-proportionally represented.
The recently prepared Briefing to the Incoming Minister (for the Elimination of Family and Sexual Violence) of the new government (November 2023) includes a good overview if the current situation relating to FV and SV in New Zealand, including excellent summary graphics in the Appendix 4.
