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Te Puna Aonui

Definitions and Prevalence Data

Aotearoa New Zealand has an unacceptably high rate of family violence and sexual violence 

Family violence and sexual violence are behaviours that physically or psychologically harm another person.

These behaviours have a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health, parenting, education, employment, and connections to their community.   

These forms of violence disproportionately affect women, children and young people, tangata whenua, Pacific peoples, disabled people, older people, LGBTQIA+ communities, ethnic communities, and people experiencing compounding forms of disadvantage and discrimination.   

Due to the complexity of human behaviour, it is difficult to identify clear causes of family violence and sexual violence. But research has shown that there are certain factors that are associated with violence at the individual, relationship, community and society levels. Addressing the range of factors that contribute to violence will prevent negative intergenerational impacts and help New Zealanders to live safe, connected, and healthy lives for generations to come.  

This page features high-level definitions of family violence and sexual violence and an initial snapshot of the prevalence of these types of violence within Aotearoa New Zealand and within different areas of society. 

Snapshot of family violence and sexual violence prevalence in Aotearoa New Zealand

Resources/Te-Puna-Aonui-Infographic.pdf [PDF, 14 MB]

Family violence is a pattern of behaviour that coerces, controls or harms another, within the context of a close personal relationship, and often involves fear, intimidation, and loss of freedoms. 

It is sometimes referred to as family harm or domestic violence. 

Family violence can include violence or abuse from:   

  • A partner, ex, boyfriend, girlfriend, date, or casual partner    
  • Parents or caregivers towards children   
  • Young people or adults towards their parents or caregivers   
  • A sibling or other family or whānau members (in the same household, or part of the wider family or whānau)   
  • A carer or support person   
  • Someone who is part of the family, whānau and/or are fulfilling the function of family. 

Family violence can take many different forms: 

  • Psychological or emotional - threatening to kill, hurt or commit suicide, damaging belongings or property, harassment, intimidation, ill-treatment of pets/animals, minimising, denying, blaming, name calling, constant criticism, put-downs and hindering or removing access to necessary aids, devices, medication, or other support. 
  • Physical – assault, hitting, slapping, shaking, kicking, choking, strangulation, burning, biting, tying up or restraining, spitting, use of weapons.   
  • Sexual - sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment involving words and/or pictures, unwanted sexual acts, comments or touching, trafficking for sexual purposes, forcing someone to watch or act out pornography. 
  • Coercion and control – limiting freedom and choice, persuading someone to do or stop doing something by using force, mind-games and/or threats. 
  • Spiritual - attacks on a person’s spirit or wairua, being stopped from expressing spiritual or religious beliefs, using religious beliefs to justify abuse. 
  • Economic – controlling and monitoring finances, taking money, making all the money decisions. 
  • Other forms of violence, relevant to particular communities, e.g., dowry-related violence.  

Violence may be a single act or a pattern of behaviour, even if all or any of those acts, when viewed in isolation, may appear minor or trivial.  

Many types of family violence are criminal offences in New Zealand. Criminal offences are set out in several different pieces of legislation including the Crimes Act 1961 and Family Violence Act 2018.   

Sexual violence involves a person exerting power and control over another person without their informed consent, or where they are unable to provide consent (e.g., children, vulnerable adults).   

It can also be known as sexual abuse, sexual harm, mahi tukino, sexual harassment, or sexual assault.   

Sexual violence may also be considered family violence when it occurs within the context of a close relationship.  

Sexual violence can be perpetrated by, or against, anyone regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, cultures, wealth or ability. However, not all people are at equal risk of experiencing sexual violence. The risk of being targeted for sexual violence varies according to a range of personal and socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, and relationship to the person using violence.  

See “Sexual assault myths and facts page”  Myths and facts | New Zealand Police(external link)(external link)   

Sexual violence includes different kinds of harmful behaviours, including: 

  • Child sexual abuse - any sexual activity with a child under 16, including any exposure of a child to sexual acts or sexual material. Child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviour can occur within families, at school, and online.  
  • Sexual violation – any type of penetrative sex without consent, including rape   
  • Incest – sexual connection with a close family member. 
  • Sexual exploitation – non-consensual participation in sexual acts or images for profit.  
  • Attempted sexual violation – attempted rape or attempted penetrative sex.  
  • Indecent assault - unwanted sexual touching.    
  • Online harm - non-consensual sharing of intimate or sexual recordings.  
  • Trafficking  
  • Grooming – gaining trust to sexually abuse, exploit or traffic children and young people.  
  • Acts of indecency – genital exposure or flashing without consent.   
  • Sexual harassment – repeated and unwanted sexual behaviours that cause harm or asking for sexual acts 
  • Other harmful sexual behaviours - such as forcing someone to watch pornography, taking or sharing images of children for sexual purposes, and other forms of digital and online sexual harm through social media.  

The Sexual Violence Legislation Act 2021 provides the legal framework and definitions.  

In te ao Māori family violence and sexual violence are understood as violations of whakapapa, mana, and tapu.

Tangata whenua understand family violence and sexual violence as a desecration of whakapapa (family lineage). Violence is a violation of the tapu (sacredness) of another person and it impacts on their ability to exercise mana (engaging in autonomous action to benefit the collective). Violence harms all people involved, including whānau, hapū and iwi, in different ways, including emotionally, socially, spiritually, and mentally.  

Prior to colonisation, tangata whenua had well-established social controls or tikanga to deter, detect, and respond if violence occurred. These ensured accountability and consequence, compensation, rehabilitation and healing for all members of the whānau. The unacceptable levels of violence experienced within whānau now are rooted in the marginalisation of tangata whenua and societal changes enforced during the colonisation of Aotearoa.  

Family violence and sexual violence are not the same, but they can intersect 

There are intersections between family violence and sexual violence.  

  • A significant amount of sexual violence occurs within the context of family and personal relationships, including intimate partner sexual violence and familial child sexual abuse. Almost two thirds of sexual assaults are perpetrated by someone who the survivor already knows (NZ Crime and Victims Survey, 2022).  
  • Intimate partner violence often involves sexual violence, alongside physical abuse, psychological abuse and/or coercive control.  
  • Many people experience both family violence and sexual violence over their lifetime, including sometimes multiple experiences and different perpetrators of the violence. 
  • There are similar risk and protective factors for both types of violence.  
  • Many families, whānau and communities are trying to deal with the impacts of, heal from, and prevent, both of these forms of violence.  

Risk and protective factors for family violence and sexual violence 

Risk factors: there are many different factors that increase the chance that someone will use family violence or sexual violence, which may include personal characteristics and influences from family or whānau, community, and from the wider cultural and social environment. The list below outlines some of the key risk factors that make it more likely family violence and/or sexual violence will happen.  

Factors associated with an increased likelihood of violence 

Society and community levels 

Individual and relationship levels 
  • Structures, systems, and beliefs that enable the misuse of power – e.g., deprivation, inequality, racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, homophobia, and transphobia. 
  • Poor system responses – e.g., institutional and systemic bias, lack of formal/informal support, lack of education. 
  • Personal identity and attitudes that support the use of violence.   
  • Poor coping responses to life challenges – e.g., problems with self-control, problem-solving, ability to resolve conflict, substance abuse. 

Protective factors are associated with a decreased likelihood that violence may occur, or that it may be repeated in the future.   

Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of violence 

Society and community levels 

Individual and relationship levels 
  • Healthy norms that support the wellbeing of all people – e.g., equal access to opportunities, respect, non-violence, autonomy, positive community connections. 
  • Support for groups and communities most impacted by family violence and sexual violence – e.g., education for parents and young people, informal and formal social support, access to healthcare and housing, interventions which strengthen motivation and skills to desist from violence. 
  • Personal identity and attitudes which support respectful relationships with others – e.g., strong positive cultural identity, social/gender roles, empathy for others. 
  • Capacity to deal with life’s challenges in a healthy way – e.g., strong emotion regulation skills, ability to set and achieve goals, maintain a balanced lifestyle, adapt and solve problems, communicate needs to others, engage in education and employment. 

If you are experiencing family violence or want to help someone who is, go to Are You OK | Family Violence Information and Support(external link) for information and support. 

If you are worried about your own behaviour towards your partner, whānau or family, go to In Your Hands - Home | In Your Hands(external link) for information and help. 

If you are experiencing sexual violence, want to help someone who is, or are worried about your own sexual behaviour or thoughts, go to Sexual Harm. Do you want to talk? | Safe to talk(external link) for information and support. 

For further details please see Developing family violence capability for workforces and organisations | Te Puna Aonui(external link)

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