Campaign for Action on Family Violence

The Campaign for Action on Family Violence aims to create conditions that support attitude and behaviour change to reduce family violence in Aotearoa. Since its launch in 2007, the campaign’s strategies, messages and calls to action have evolved in response to new research and evaluation findings.

Current focus on recovery, change makers, supportive environments, and influence

In Phase 4, the current phase, we are more targeted in our approach to tackling family violence by helping men become violence free. The campaign reset its strategic intent, beginning with a new Framework for Change. The goal of this new phase is: 'A safer Aotearoa New Zealand, where more men are violence free'. 

The current phase of the campaign, Change is Possible, aims to support change in men using violence against their partners or children. It does this through:

• Campaigns that engage individual men around getting help and that promote the Change is Possible website and stopping violence services 
• Community “changemakers” that disrupt harmful narratives around masculinity, promote new norms that support men to change, and hold men accountable around violence. 

The Change is Possible website shares men’s stories of change, tools for managing your behaviour, and connects you to help – 0800 or webchat, or to services in your region. 

Previous campaign phases

Phases 1 -3 of the campaign focused on social norms, stories of positive change, and the role of helpers and influencers. These phases included: 

• ‘It’s not OK’ (social norms) – 2007: This phase launched the campaign and aimed to help people understand what family violence is. 
• ‘It’s OK to ask for Help’ (stories of positive change) – 2008: This phase focused on users of family violence to show them that change is possible and that help is available when they want to change their behaviour. 
• ‘It’s OK to Help’ (helpers and influencers) – 2010: This phase aimed to increase the skills and confidence of everyday New Zealanders as helpers and influencers. 

Research from the Campaign

The Campaign for Action on Family Violence is reviewed regularly and refined based on the latest research and findings.

Some of the research that informed Phase 4 includes: 

Research related to previous phases of the campaign are available on the Are You Ok website.