[2] The New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse was launched in 2005 and is operated by the University of Auckland, under a contract funded by Te Puna Aonui.
[3] The Family Violence Death Review Committee found that in the period 2009–2018, 88 New Zealand women were murdered by their partners.
[6] The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study reported that 34% of men and 27% of women have experienced physical abuse by their partner.
[9] A survey conducted by the Ministry of Justice found that 94% of sexual assaults were not reported to police, and that 2% of victims experienced 33% of all offences.
[13] Between 2011 and 2012, Māori women were the most common gender and ethnic group to be admitted to hospital following assault by a family member.
[13] Domestic violence in New Zealand is more likely to occur when alcohol is involved,[14] being financially reliant on a partner,[15] social and economic disadvantage regarding education, employment, health, housing and income,[16] in young families,[17] and beneficiaries in sole parent households.
[18] The New Zealand Department of Corrections has recognised that whānau violence perpetrators have a range of individual problems such as anger, hostility and personality disorders from having witnessed or suffered abuse as children.
They identified the link beginning at education through to employment opportunities and adequate income with freedom of choice, independence, safety and equal power and control.
[26] In 2008 the Ministry of Justice released a discussion documenting calling for submissions on the inclusion of ‘positive consent’, the inclusion of broader investigation into the surrounding circumstances in determining whether the accused had reasonable grounds for consent, and the extension of the ‘rape shield’ to limit a defendant's ability to question a complainant about their past sexual behaviour.
[28] The report recommended the completion of a Sexual Violence Prevention Plan, a review of funding for crisis support services, legislative changes to the Accident Compensation Corporation scheme, legislative amendments to the Crimes Act 1961, and an exploration of alternative justice in cases of sexual offences.
This is a fairly new approach focussing on the preservation of Māori values within the environmental and contextual influences of modern New Zealand.
[citation needed] Current prevention techniques include providing education, information and support services to implement changes in attitude and behaviour for not only the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, but also for the wider community.
[33] Another culturally sensitive prevention technique is the Mauri Ora framework which incorporates Māori principles and values such as whakapapa (genealogy), tikanga (general behaviour guidelines for daily life and interaction within the Māori culture), wairua (spirit), tapu (forbidden/sacred values), mauri (the essence of emotions), and mana (power).
[35] [further explanation needed] New legislation by the NZ government alongside advocacy groups such as the White Ribbon Campaign seek to reduce the occurrence of Domestic violence in New Zealand.
[39][40] According to research, one in three people report taking some form of action to prevent family violence as a result of the Campaign.