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Family violence and sexual violence initiatives
Family violence and sexual violence is unacceptable. However, New Zealand has amongst the highest reported rates of family violence and sexual violence in the developed world.
To address this, the Government established the Joint Venture for Family Violence and Sexual Violence (Joint Venture), which was renamed Te Puna Aonui in July 2022, and then the Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence in 2025.
MSD is a key and committed member of the Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. Our family violence and sexual violence activities feed into the cross-agency work programme that is putting in place a wide range of initiatives to stop violence from occurring, reduce the harm it causes, and break the cycle of re-victimisation and re-offending. This work is also focused on improving and co-ordinating existing services.
Collectively, nine government agencies are partners in the Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. The agencies work together to help ensure victims/survivors and families and whānau get help tailored to their needs, and perpetrators are held to account and supported to change their behaviour.