Improved family violence online help
05 October 2022.
In Aotearoa New Zealand one in three people will experience physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. While family violence help is available, not everyone knows how to access it.
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan announced yesterday that MSD has significantly improved the online help available for people affected by family violence, including a new website to support behaviour change for users of violence.
This work is part of Te Aorerekura, the strategy and action plan to eliminate violence. It delivers online helping tools for people experiencing family violence and their informal helpers (eg family, whānau, friends and supporters).
Are You OK — improvements
The redeveloped Are You OK website now provides 24/7 telephone and online webchat help for victims/survivors of family violence and those supporting them to be safe. 24/7 support for some women’s refuges is being delivered by Whakarongorau Aotearoa, helping ease pressure on refuge staff after-hours.
We’ve added two new tools — a Check It Out quiz for people who are concerned about their relationship and the Service Finder tool that will also be used on other websites to make access to services easier.
A new website — In Your Hands
MSD has also launched the separate website In Your Hands for people who use violence. To eliminate family violence we need to support people to change violent behaviours. One of the best ways to prevent future violence and harm is to engage and work with people who use violence today.
Information helps people to understand their experiences and can reduce barriers to making changes. In Your Hands will be further developed with webchat.
Together the improvements provide an integrated and cohesive system of 24/7 telephone and online help. This will be further developed for and with communities, over time.
