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March 30, 2017 at 4:22 PM

*From the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse*

Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley will be hosting a national summit on family violence in Wellington on 7 June 2017.

Minister Adams said “Across New Zealand there are large numbers of people working hard every day to combat this horrific form of abuse. The Family Violence Summit will bring together people from the sector to continue the conversation around how we break the pattern of family violence and reduce the harm.”

Individuals will be invited from groups working on family violence including NGOs, support workers, victims and former perpetrators.

The Summit is intended to support the work already underway as part of the Government’s family and whānau violence work including the recently introduced Family and Whānau Violence Legislation Bill reforming relevant legislation.

Responses to the summit

The Backbone Collective, a national collective for survivors of violence against women, has criticised the summit. Co-founder Deborah Mackenzie said “All indications are that the system that is supposed to keep women who experience violence and abuse safe, and help them rebuild their lives, is more broken, more harmful and more abusive towards women than it was nine years ago. More talking won't change that.”

Co-founder Tania Dommett said “How about changing its focus to Violence Against Women and inviting all the women who have signed up to the Backbone to present? That would deliver real insights and show a genuine commitment to addressing New Zealand’s rates of violence against women, and improving the response system.”

Media

Victim advocates fear family violence summit an empty gesture ahead of election, NZ Herald, 28.03.2017