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June 26, 2014 at 10:27 AM

The Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) has released its fourth report, which analyses four years of family violence related deaths between 2009 and 2012. 

Click here for a summary of the report, and here to view the full report

The report calls for a radical change in the way in which New Zealand responds to its most dangersous and chronic cases of family violence. In particular, the FVDRC calls for a more coordinated response to family violence, and more emphasis on preventing perpetrators from using violence rather than placing the bulk of responsibility on women for keeping themselves safe.

The report makes a number of recommendations, including:

• The Campaign for Action on Family Violence extends its focus to encourage people to safely and effectively take action when their friends, family, neighbours or workmates are at risk of being killed in family violence.
• New Zealand Police strengthen its response to family violence by better managing repeat offenders, better supporting repeat victimes and developing tools to assess the risk of offenders killing their victims.
• Better support is given to children whose parent, caregiver or sibling is killed in family violence.
• Non-fatal strangulation is made a separate crime under the Crimes Act 1961.
• The test for self-defence is modified to make it more accessible to repeat victims who kill their abusers.
• A partial defence is introduced for repeat victims of family violence who were not acting in self-defence when they retaliated against their abusers.
• Judges be given education and training on family violence, and more background information about defendants charged with family violence, including any previous history of family violence convictions.

More links:

Half of homicides are family violence related

Dozens of children witness homicides in NZ each year - Report

Preventable family violence kills 57 children - study