Women's Refuge New Zealand

Providing social commentary on domestic violence in order to create a violence-free New Zealand is one of our main purposes.

We provide expert comment on relevant government legislation, regulation, policies, and programmes – including some monitoring and evaluation of how these are working. We do this to contribute to and influence change within systems, attitude, policy, and laws.

Read our latest media releases, and watch our latest television interviews.

Working to create social change

Our important policy and advocacy work means Women’s Refuge:

provides information on domestic violence issues
informs public debate
builds coalitions and encourages collaboration of agencies and organisations at a national and local level to ensure a coordinated approach to
domestic violence
participates in inter-agency working groups and non-governmental organisation (NGO) working groups to support the development and
implementation of work in domestic violence and related areas
involves and supports communities to have a role in the prevention of domestic violence.

We also undertake our own research. and submissions:

Making submissions

We prepare submissions on proposed changes to legislation, as well as consultation documents from government departments, local authorities, and other bodies.

NCIWR CEDAW alternate report 2018

final NCIWR-BIM2017

Submission on the Social Worker Registration Legislation Bill

NCIWR submission on the Marriage Amendment Bill

NCIWR submission on the Family Violence Legislation Bill

NCIWR Oranga Tamariki submission

Domestic Violence – Victims Protection Bill Submission

NCIWR Submission on the Social Security Legislation Rewrite bill

NCIWR Submission on Social Security Bill – Stopping Payments for Repeat Offenders

NCIWR Submission on the CYPF Bill

NCIWR Submission on Social Worker Mandatory Registration

NCIWR Submission on the New Zealand Health Strategy Update

Briefing Incoming Government Submission (PDF)
Family Court Review Submission (PDF)
The Inquiry in to the Detriments of the Well-being of Maori Children (PDF)
Submission to the Ministry of Justice Re: Financial Abuse (PDF)
Submission on the Marriage Ammendment Bill (PDF)
Committee of Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CDAW) Shadow Report (PDF)

I called refuge every Christmas for about five years. This was a time I felt the most isolated and violated. Sadly I experienced a terrible beating and when he said, 'get out of my house' I used that as my perfect excuse to escape. I have never looked back.

Survivor

I held my breath. I said to my mate, Kerry, I have a feeling that you aren't feeling safe in your relationship, can you talk to me about it? She brushed me off the first few times, but using different approaches and trusting in my feelings she did eventually open up to me. I was determined to be there for her. I supported her through the decisions she made to be safe. And now she and her kids are living a fabulous life, free of shame, blame and violence.

A helper

She came up to me at a party one day. Apparently many years ago I had talked to her at a conference over a cuppa, and she’d shared her story of the violence her husband was subjecting her to. The advice I gave her then was, 'You're too good for this and you don't need to put up with it.’ The woman took three years to eventually leave her relationship, but she kept repeating these words to herself until she finally called Women’s Refuge. Her ex-partner went on to kill his next girlfriend.

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