New Zealand domestic violence statistics
One in three women experience psychological or physical abuse from their partners in their lifetime1.
On average 14 women, six men and 10 children are killed by a member of their family every year.
Police are called to around 200 domestic violence situations a day – that’s one every seven minutes on average.
Police estimate only 18% of domestic violence incidents are reported.
At least 74,785 children and young people aged under 17 were present at domestic violence situations attended by police.
84% of those arrested for domestic violence are men; 16% are women.
The economic cost of domestic violence was estimated at $1.2 to $5.8 billion per year by economist Suzanne Snively in 19962. In today’s figures, that would be up to $8 billion.
In the 2009/10 year there were 3,867 domestic violence cases in the Family Court which each involved at least one child.
Women’s Refuge statistics
13,937 women & 11,014 children (total 24,951) needed the help of Women’s Refuge in 2011.
Women’s Refuge is New Zealand’s most significant family violence organization with a 39-year history of providing comprehensive services for women and children.
In 2011-12, our refuges provided 83,994 safe beds for women and children who did not feel safe to sleep in their own homes – this was an average of 230 women and children each night.
On average, of the women who seek our help, 90% report psychological abuse compared to 65% who report physical abuse.
60% of Women’s Refuge clients are 36 years old.
40% of children we deal with are under five years old.
Women’s Refuge receives just over 60,000 calls to its Crisisline every year. This means we answer a crisis or information call every nine minutes, every day.
We have 1073 staff, with 417 paid staff and 656 unpaid or volunteer staff. Half of our workers – paid or unpaid – identify as Māori.
Sources:
Are you Okay? website
1 Snively, Suzanne, The New Zealand Economic Cost of Family Violence (1996)
2 Fanslow, J & Elizabeth Robinson, Violence against Women in New Zealand: Prevalence and health consequences, New Zealand Medical Journal 117 (1206), 2004
Learn more about youth abuse statistics.
