1 August 2007

Report shows violence common among young people

The news that about half of all young New Zealanders are deliberately physically hurt by others at home or at school shows just how pervasive violence is within Kiwi culture says Commissioner Sandra Alofivae.

The report Violence and New Zealand Young People, Findings of Youth2000 by key authors Dr Peter Watson and Terry Fleming at the University of Auckland, was based on a survey of 9,700 secondary school students who were asked questions relating to their experience of violence, including bullying.

“This study shows that violence is common in the lives of many young people: they experience it at home, they are bullied and feel unsafe at school, and some are also violent themselves,” says Ms Alofivae.

This is the first time that young people have been surveyed in this way and the results are shocking and disturbing.

“This survey shows us that some children are being brought up with violence, they go on to use violence, and they are also victims of violence and sexual abuse. Sometimes they are reporting that what they experience is bad, or even terrible.”

Ms Alofivae, who is a Family Court lawyer and youth advocate, has close links with the South Auckland community and says this information should not be used to simply target the behaviour of young people.

“We need to address the violence within our families – we need to be good role models for our children. Yelling, screaming and hitting simply teaches them that this is acceptable behaviour.

“Our attitudes need to change so that we are very clearly saying that violence is not acceptable. Our children should not be growing up to expect and tolerate being bullied and hit. Nor should they be growing up feeling that it is acceptable to treat other people this way.”

The Families Commission is part of a nationwide movement initiated by the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families to change attitudes and behaviour toward family violence. The Campaign for Action on Family Violence will be launched on 4 September and is working with communities and agencies around the country to change the way New Zealanders think and act about family violence.

The Commission also carries out research into various issues relating to family violence. This financial year the Commission intends to commission research to improve understanding of the resilience factors that could offset the effects of experiencing family violence on children and young people. This research will be used to focus our prevention activities. We expect it to provide input into the later stages of the campaign as well as inform development of services and/or resources for young people and their families.

ENDS

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