Domestic and sexual violence services will receive more than NZ$200m in this year’s budget, a record investment for many struggling frontline services who have been under immense pressure during weeks of Covid-19 lockdown.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of sexual and domestic violence in the developed world, with police responding to a family violence incident every four minutes. Family violence is estimated to cost the country between NZ$4.1bn and $7bn a year.
On Monday, under-secretary for domestic and sexual violence issues Jan Logie said frontline services would get a much-needed boost of NZ$202m over four years to “stabilise” their essential operations as the pressures of lockdown take their toll on families nationwide.
Services to rehabilitate perpetrators of violence will also receive NZ$16m, to help break the cycle of lifetimes of violence.
Logie, a former Women’s Refuge manager, said additional support will be made available for victims of non-fatal strangulation; recently made a separate crime in New Zealand.
“At a time of national crisis we have never needed them [services] more,” Logie said.
“We know this crisis has increased pressure to New Zealand families and that more victims are isolated. It’s right that we respond properly to this. As a Government, we have committed to end this violence.”
“What this means in real terms is better support for those experiencing abuse, whilst empowering people who use violence to change their behaviour. It will save lives”
Dr Ang Jury, CEO of Women’s Refuge, said her organisation was set to receive a record investment, which will see “refuge funding doubled in three to four years.”
“I’m elated and relieved,” Jury said of the funding.
“We’ve been working on this package for the past couple of years and was worried it’d be derailed by the Covid19 crisis. In terms of use, people, people, people! Paying those we already have what they’re worth, and recruiting more to ease the ridiculous levels of unpaid work we’ve relied on.”
MP Golriz Gharaman, herself a survivor of domestic violence and strangulation, described the announcement as “huge”
This is huge! Our @NZGreens Under Secretary for Family and Sexual @janlogie has fought for and won unprecedented support for those at the frontlines of family and domestic violence, once again this Budget. It is so so needed, particularly right now. https://t.co/CM5P9jgpIz
— Golriz Ghahraman (@golrizghahraman) May 10, 2020
The bulk of the money will go towards supporting victims of family violence (NZ$140m), victims of elder abuse (NZ$25m) and victims of non-fatal strangulation (NZ$19m), with the rest directed towards rehabilitating the perpetrators.
According to police and support agencies, calls regarding family harm incidents increased by 20% during the coronavirus lockdown, but many experts worry the real figures are far higher, as many people in danger had difficulty seeking help, or leaving the home.
