Recommendations to rapidly improve service responses to violence and abuse There are a number of initiatives that have been either piloted or well developed that could be implemented immediately. Other initiatives have been proposed by disabled people for many years and, while they will take some time to be fully implemented, could be started immediately. Some of the following recommendations address overarching issues, such as data collection, while others are servicerelated. All of them are required to increase safety and wellbeing for tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people. 1. Disabled people leading the development of a shared language To uphold this right, we recommend: • protocols be developed to ensure that data about the abuse of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people is collected by, at the very least, government, violence services, police, and health and disability services • that the government commissions qualitative and quantitative research to better understand the extent of violence and abuse and the needs (for prevention, safety and response to violence) of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people in Aotearoa • all research undertaken to learn more about the violence prevention and response needs of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people must be developed and undertaken by or with tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people • all data collected by government, violence services, police, health boards and disability services be disaggregated by disability status, gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, age, perpetrator and type of abuse, to allow for accurate recording and analysis of violence and abuse towards tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people • data about the number and situations of disabled Māori and other children and young people in state care in Aotearoa be collected, collated, recorded and analysed nationally • people collecting this data about tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people must have training in: (a) disability-related issues, including enabling self-identification of disability (not making assumptions and only asking the questions if someone has a visible impairment); (b) ensuring informed consent is obtained for research and data collection processes • that the limitations of administrative data, based on service use, need to be understood by those collecting and those using the data to guide policy and practice. This requires an understanding of why tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people are not using services and/or disclosing violence We recommend: • that a shared language is developed to describe violence against tāngata whaikaha Māori, disabled women, children and men, and that this language is used in data collection, data sharing, wider research and across services • that the language and terms developed are inclusive and accessible and reflect an ecological understanding of disability • that all language existing and developed for violence prevention and response be translated into NZSL, Easy Read and other accessible formats, and made accessible to the Deaf and disability communities. 2. Improving data collection and research The UNCRPD responds to the lack of disaggregated disability data around the globe by including a dedicated article (Article 31) specifying countries’ obligations to collect statistical and research data that will assist in identifying and addressing barriers faced by disabled people. • 52 In accordance with Article 31, ensure accurate and epidemiological information on intimate partner violence and sexual violence and on their causes and consequences, is collected and used to contribute directly to preventing such forms of violence. Human Rights Commission