Family Violence - most important issue for New Zealanders
04 February 2010
A recent Nielsen survey of New Zealanders found that the family violence is the single most important issue facing New Zealand.
Respondents rated reducing family violence as the issue New Zealand needs to deal with now and into the future - well ahead of other important issues including getting people to stop smoking, reducing the road toll and reducing the impact of climate change. About three out of four people, 74%, said they would like to see increased effort put into reducing family violence.
Our Campaign aimed to begin a national conversation about family violence, to get people talking and taking action. Building on the work carried out by the family violence sector in communities throughout New Zealand, we have all helped to generate that conversation and now it's time to start a new phase of campaign work. Our research and feedback tells us that people want to help families in trouble but they don't know how.
In 2010 the campaign will focus on practical things families can do to keep each other safe. The campaign will be helping families, whanau, friends, workmates and neighbours to take action. It's about giving and receiving help, about noticing when things start to go wrong and supporting people to get the help they need.
We are also working alongside the E Tu Whanau Ora programme of action which emphasises the importance and benefits of loving, caring and being with whanau. This includes messages about what positive things whanau can do to make a difference.
