Budget fact sheets 2006 - Reducing violence within families
The Government is investing an additional $11.5 million over the next four years in a community prevention programme to reduce family violence
Each year police deal with more than 45,000 calls relating to family violence, involving more than 200,000 people. The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services receives about 55,000 referrals for suspected child abuse and neglect. Between two and five percent of older New Zealanders are likely to experience abuse or neglect.
This initiative is aimed at reducing family violence by reinforcing the unacceptability of family violence and changing attitudes towards violence and abusive behaviour.
The prevention programme will involve working with family violence prevention and family focused providers to strengthen and build on existing initiatives to address family violence. It will include:
- central coordination and resource development
- national initiatives to support changes in attitudes and behaviour
- support for community-driven initiatives.
The local and national prevention programme will use a community-based approach, similar to that used with the Strategies with Kids – Information for Parents (SKIP) programme.
This budget initiative demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen families and help them raise healthy and confident children.
