The fact that NZ leads the world in domestic violence is one of the awful symptoms of just how stressed and messed up this country is. So it’s good to see this opinion piece from Amy Adams:
NZ’s highest rate of family violence in the developed world – Amy Adams has ‘had enough’
There are plenty of successes to celebrate in this country. … Less well-known, however, is that we also top the world at the rate in which we beat our partners and kids. We have the highest rates of family violence in the developed world.
This is a shameful record.
Every five minutes police are called out to respond to abuse happening somewhere. Kids are present at two thirds of these incidents. Each year the number of family violence cases climbs.
Even after the bruises fade, the damage lives on.
Those who experience family violence go on to perpetuate the abuse on others. They are less likely to finish school and keep down a job, and are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol, and end up homeless. They are three times more likely to attempt suicide.
When someone dies at the hands of another in this country, nearly half of these are family violence.
I’ve had enough. And so have most of you.
So we’re doing something about it.
The system is broken but the Government introduced sweeping reforms to overhaul it.
Read on for an outline of the changes – some of it looks good.
I’m proud to be part of a Government that’s prepared to take on the big challenges.
A cynic might ask why you waited until election year to publicly highlight domestic violence and “take on the big challenges”. Because this problem has existed for decades, and we topped the world in 2015. Rachel Stewart wrote at the time:
New Zealand has reached the pinnacle of world number one in domestic violence
There’s no doubt that New Zealand’s epidemic of domestic violence lies firmly at the feet of men. As does the solution.
Sorry boys, but it’s just not acceptable to trot out the tired old line that women hit men too. It’s a fact that men physically hurt women many times more than the reverse, and implying anything else is just another form of abuse towards us.
New Zealand has reached the pinnacle of world number one in domestic violence statistics. We now have the highest reported rate of intimate partner violence in the developed world.
Police undertook more than 100,000 investigations into domestic abuse last year. In 2013 children were present at 63 per cent of the callouts police attended.
Yet, it’s estimated that 90 per cent of family violence goes unreported.
Think on that for a moment. Sit with it. Let it sink in. …
There was an extended discussion here on The Standard, see the end of that post for links to a list of organisations offering help.
It’s great that the government is planning some action on this shameful situation. It’s a pity that they are treating the consequences, not the underlying social problems that contribute so much to the causes, and it’s a pity that it’s taken so long.
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