Budget investment in family violence and sexual violence initiatives

The funding of $320.9 million over four years will support initiatives across 10 government agencies who are working together as a Joint Venture to prevent and respond to family violence and sexual violence.

Increase in funding for specialist sexual violence services

As part of the package, the Government will invest $131 million over four years toward expanding specialist sexual violence services.

Of this funding, $90.3 million has been allocated to MSD and $40.8m to Oranga Tamariki to strengthen support for children, youth and adult victims/survivors and perpetrators of sexual violence, and their families and whānau.

The MSD and Oranga Tamariki funding will support the stabilisation and expansion of essential specialist sexual violence services and start to address gaps in the system response. It will ensure more stable and sustainable service provision, and support services to meet growing demand.

The investment will help to create a more integrated, efficient and responsive system for those affected by sexual violence, by continuing and building on sexual violence services implemented since Budget 2016. It will mean more people get the services they need, when they need them.

Funding boost for family violence prevention initiatives

The Government has increased its investment in three innovative MSD initiatives that are working to prevent family violence by changing the attitudes, beliefs, norms and behaviours that sustain violence, and by supporting community-led responses.

The increased funding – of $30.750 million over four years – will go toward the following initiatives:

• E Tū Whānau – a kaupapa Māori initiative to positively change behaviour, attitudes and norms as a means to improve wellbeing and reduce family violence. E Tū Whānau also works with refugee and migrant communities as they value the strength-based approach and the focus on increasing wellbeing.
  Read more about E Tū Whānau
• Pasefika Proud – a social change initiative ground in Pacific values, that works with the eight key Pacific nationalities in New Zealand in order to prevent family violence.
  Read more about Pasefika Proud
• The Campaign for Action on Family Violence – which includes the current It’s not OK campaign, refocused on supporting positive behaviour change for men using violence, and a new campaign focused on safe relationships for young people.
  Read more about It's not OK campaign

This investment will enable us to scale up, strengthen and further evaluate what is working well and making a positive difference for families and communities across New Zealand.

Extension of Family Violence Response Coordination contracts

In addition, $2.8 million has been allocated by the Government to extend all Family Violence Response Coordination (FVRC) contracts for 12 months, to 30 June 2020, while work is undertaken with communities on a community-led, government-enabled response to family violence.

The FVRC Fund aims to prevent family violence by enabling local community and government organisations to collectively develop an integrated and strategic approach to family violence in their communities.