Stopping Violence Network Welcomes Family Violence Death Review Findings
Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga/National Network for Stopping Violence Services (Te Kupenga) welcomes the fifth report
of the Family Violence Death Review Committee released yesterday.
“The Report is exceptionally well thought out and the ideas put forward from the Committee need to taken seriously not
only by decision makers – but by all of us working in the family violence sector,” said Trevor Wilson, National
Advocate.
Te Kupenga agrees with the Committee’s observation that society expects too much of women when it asks them to take the
bulk of responsibility for their own safety, and for the safety of their children,
“Unlike other victims of crime, we expect victims of domestic violence to be responsible for stopping the offending
against them and their children. We absolutely welcome the call for agencies to stop asking victims to keep themselves
safe from abusive partners but take action to make sure they are safe.”
“We know that we all have to do much more to hold men to account for their violence and to enable men to take
responsibility for ensuring their partners and children are not subjected to their violence. Men can and must change.
The positive thing is that here are different ways we can support them to do so, including justice interventions,” says
Mr Wilson.
Te Kupenga’s position is informed by community experts across New Zealand working in the stopping violence area.
“What our members have been telling us for years is that more focus and investment is needed to change the behaviour of
violent offenders. We need to shift the narrative from being around women’s responsibility for their own safety to
focusing on men taking responsibility for their violent behaviour.
Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga/National Network Stopping Violence Services is a network of 35 independent Domestic
Violence intervention and prevention providers who work collectively with government and non-government providers to
STOP Domestic Violence with in New Zealand.
ENDS