Family Violence requires a collaborative approach

White Ribbon Chair Judge Peter Boshier

Press Release

20 February 2015

Family Violence requires a collaborative approach

White Ribbon Chair, Judge Peter Boshier, has applauded the decision of the New Zealand Police to engage further with experts.

“Working collaboratively is at the heart of how White Ribbon operates,” says Judge Boshier. “By tapping into experts who sit outside your organisation, you can significantly enhance your knowledge and understanding of an issue, and as an added bonus receive free and frank advice.

“Our own experience is that we have a committee made up of experts and agencies who volunteer their time to provide advice to the White Ribbon Campaign. That keeps us focused and in touch with the issues of communities.

“White Ribbon believes New Zealand needs considerable attitudinal change, and that must take place with our men.

“It is a sad but undeniable truth that the most serious and damaging violence is perpetrated by men against women, and that all men must take responsibility for changing this.

“The days of saying ‘it’s not my problem’ are over. As men, we must take responsibility for changing the attitudes and behaviour of other men. There is no other choice if we are ever to significantly reduce the appalling family violence statistics in this country.

“We can be justifiably proud of how well New Zealand achieves in any numbers of arenas, but there can be no room for pride when the police indicate that there were 94,300 family violence incidents reported last year. The statistics are horrific and we must do more.

“It is a sad indictment that family violence may well be the single greatest social issue we have to address in this country,” said Judge Boshier.

Associated media: Radio NZ report

KEY STATISTICS

• One in three women will experience partner violence at some point in their lives
• Less than 20 per cent of abuse cases are reported
• Over 3,500 convictions are recorded against men each year for assaults on women
• On average, 14 women a year are killed by their partners or ex-partners
• Police attend a family violence incident every 5 ½ minutes
• Family violence accounts for half of all reported serious crime
• In 2013 Police recorded 95,101 family violence investigations (provisionally 94,300 in 2014)

KEY MESSAGES

• Violence towards women is unacceptable
• Violence is not just physical
• Men are part of the solution
• You can help fix this problem by taking The Pledge
• 2015 will see White Ribbon launch a new November campaign

For all media enquiries contact:
Rob McCann
White Ribbon Campaign Manager
04 297 2757 | Mobile 021 212 2953
rob@whiteribbon.org.nz