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Family violence services

Below is a list of the key family violence services, the help that they offer, and how to contact them.

Need help, but aren't sure where to find it?

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Police

You can ring the police, even if you can’t talk.

You can ring 111 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger. If you can’t talk, push 55 to signal that you want the police.

 If you would like to contact the police about a person abusing you but not urgently you can call 105 or visit your local police station. An officer will talk to you about all the options available to you. 

 If for whatever reason you do not want to speak to the police directly, contact the organisation Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use the secure online form. It's completely anonymous, no one will know it was you who passed on the information.  

Women's Refuge

Location: All across Aotearoa, New Zealand

Women's Refuge website

Crisis line 24/7 – 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843

New Zealand’s largest nation-wide organisation that supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence.

What to expect:

Women’s Refuge gives 24/7 access to safe houses in all regions. Find the refuge closest to you:  Find your local Refuge | Women’s Refuge Their support is confidential and non-judgmental.

They’ll help you navigate the support services you might want or need such as: Police, Oranga Tamariki, legal system, courts, Work and Income, housing, doctors, immigration, and schools. They’ll also help connect you with any additional support services you need.

Women’s Refuge workers are trained and have an in-depth understanding of how to support people in abusive situations and also support women in isolated regions. They make home and community visits. They have education and support groups for women and children about living free from violence.

Women’s Refuge gives information and presentations to community groups, schools and workplaces.

Aviva

Location: Ōtautahi/Christchurch

Aviva website

24/7 support line: 0800 2848 2669 

What to expect:

Aviva support people of any age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation who are experiencing, or have experienced family violence.

Aviva services include a 24-hour support line, individually tailored advice, advocacy and safety planning, access to budgeting services and information on legal, health and financial issues, plus a range of education programmes, and help to access support from other agencies.

While Aviva doesn’t operate a safe house, they can support you to access refuge or alternate emergency accommodation through other agencies.

Family Action - Whānau Toa

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Family Action website

Phone number: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm 0800 326 327 or 09 836 1987 (for people in Auckland)

What to expect:

Family Action run a West Auckland women’s refuge for women, youth, children and families who have experienced family or sexual violence, abuse or trauma. They offer a range of services such as: safety planning, crisis counselling and intervention services, information about protection and custody and ongoing support.

Kindred Services

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Kindred Services website

24/7 women’s refuge support: 021 842 917

What to expect:

Kindred Family Services provide quality interventions to support, empower and advocate for people so they are able to reach their full potential.

They also provide a 24/7 support line and a culturally-responsive Women’s Refuge responses to family violence where the safety of women/children is essential. This can include advocacy, safety planning, safe housing, 24/7 crisis response, awareness/education, counselling, whanau and collaborative community participation.

Mother of Divine Mercy Charitable Trust

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

mdmrefuge@xtra.co.nz  

Phone number: (09) 820 0453

What to expect:

Mother of Divine Mercy offer Auckland-based wrap around support services including advocacy information and support with Police, lawyers, courts, Work and Income and other government agencies. They can also send referrals to counsellors, lawyers and doctors.

The also provide a Safe House shelter, Community based advocacy, information, education, awareness services and programs, free counselling, and culturally-responsive support led by Pan-Pacific approaches.

Shakti

Locations: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Tauranga, Te Whanganui-aTara/Wellington, Ōtautahi/Christchurch

Shakti website

Crisis line, 24/7, multilingual – 0800 SHAKTI or 0800 742 584

What to expect:

Culturally safe, specialist, confidential support for women and their children of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern origins.

Refuges that offer culturally appropriate refuge or shelter for ethnic women wanting to escape family violence.

Shakti’s culturally appropriate crisis intervention and prevention services are safe and confidential services.

They help with legal support, and advocacy in housing and immigration and with ACC. Shakti offers therapy, counselling, and referral to health services.

Their self-empowerment and life skills programmes promote confidence and self-reliance.

Shama, Ethnic Women's Trust

Location: Waikato

Shama website

Phone number: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm (07) 843 3810

What to expect:

Shama is a community organisation that works with ethnic women and families to provide both a Waikato regional response for family violence  and a national response for sexual violence which includes a crisis response service, long term therapeutic support and prevention work through community development.  

Shine*

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Shine website including 24/7 chat online

Crisis line available 24/7: 0508 744 633

What to expect:

Shine has two refuges at confidential locations in Auckland. Ring Shine’s crisis line to talk about going to a refuge.

Refuges offer warmth, shelter, safety, food, clothing, a supportive environment for families, and emotional support.

They can also support you with organising Work and Income (WINZ) benefits, support groups, counselling, and finding a lawyer.

Shine’s people can help you to find safe, permanent housing. In Auckland, Shine has transitional housing – supported rental housing for families ready to leave the refuge

S.O.S Kaipara

Location: Kaipara District

S.O.S Kaipara website

Phone number: (09) 439 6070 or 0800 33 88 44

What to expect:

S.O.S Kaipara provide wrap around specialist support services for women, children and wider whānau affected by abuse and violence in the Kaipara District. They provide support, advocacy, refuge accommodation, crisis and family therapy counselling.

Taupō Women’s Refuge

Location: Taupō

Taupō Women's Refuge website

24/7 crisis line: 07 377 1055

What to expect:

Taupō Women’s Refuge provides a safe, warm, comfortable home to victims of family violence who need to leave their own homes for any reason. This service provides women and children the time to put plans in place and to ensure their safety at the same time. They facilitate both one-on-one and/or group support for those experiencing family violence.

Tauranga Women's Refuge

Location: Tauranga

Tauranga Women's Refuge website

24/7 helpline: 0800 TO REFUGE or 0800 86 733 843

What to expect:

Tauranga Women’s Refuge provide a 24-hour Crisis Phone Line, Safe House shelter, Community based advocacy, information, education, awareness services and programs, free counselling, Kaupapa Māori Women’s and Children’s programs

They also offer offer wrap around support services including advocacy information and support with Police, lawyers, courts, Work and Income and other government agencies. They can also send referrals to counsellors, lawyers and doctors.

Te Roopu O Te Whānau Rangimarie O Tāmaki Makaurau

Location: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland

Te Whanau Rangimarie website

Phone number: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm (09) 390-1283 

What to expect:

Te Roopu O Te Whānau Rangimarie O Tāmaki Makaurau provide a temporary safe house shelter in Auckland for women and their children requiring safety and support as a result of family violence in the home and/or community.

They also offer safety programmes for adults and children who are experiencing family violence, which help build strategies on how to understand and deal with the affects of family violence.

Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki – Hauraki Women’s Refuge

Location: Hauraki/Thames

Hauraki Women's Refuge website

24/7 Free call Crisis Line: 0800 868 3132

What to expect:

Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki provide services to whānau throughout Hauraki from the top of the Coromandel Peninsula to Te Aroha in the South and from Kaiaua in the West, and over to Whitianga, Whangamata and Waihi in the East.

They have a Safe House for women and children who need breathing space from Family Violence, including Sexual Violence.

They also offer home and community based advocacy and support for whānau and individual whānau members wanting to recover and heal from whānau violence.

Te Whare Tu Whānau (Gisborne Women’s Refuge)

Location: Tairāwhiti/Gisborne

gisrefuge@orcon.net.nz

Free call crisis line: 0800 377 600

What to expect:

Te Whare Tu Whanāu provide women’s refuge and responses to whānau violence led by a Te Ao Māori and whānau centred approach, where the safety of whānau is essential.

This includes advocacy, safety planning, safe housing, 24/7 crisis response, awareness/education, counselling, whānau wananga and collaborative community participation. This is informed by whānau voice, safe practice, and grounded in an understanding of the power imbalances that disproportionately affect wahine, tamariki, tangata whenua and minority groups.

Waikato Women’s Refuge – Te Whakaruruhau

Location: Kirikiriroa/Hamilton

Waikato Women's Refuge website

24/7 phoneline: 07 855 1569

What to expect:

Te Whakaruruhau Maori Women’s Refuge has four refuges across Hamilton. You can call their 24/7 crisis hotline to find out what services are available to you.

They offer services designed to lead women and their families towards safety, stability and wellbeing, including help to leave an abusive relationship, developing a safety plan, advocacy with government agencies, and grants of furniture, clothing or food.

They also work with men using violence to give them the tools and support to become violence-free.

Whānau Awhina Women's Refuge

Location: Whakatāne

wawr@xtra.co.nz

Phone number: (07) 308 5531

What to expect:

Whānau Awhina provide refuge for women and children in Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki experiencing violence or abuse in a safe and confidential environment. Involved in crisis intervention, obtaining protection orders and other services as needed. 

Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga – National Network of Family Violence Services

Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga website

Here you can search a wide range of specialist family violence services, particularly for those who use, have used or are at risk of using family violence.

Listed organisations offer services like refuges, education programmes, support, counselling, advocacy, and abuse prevention services.