Recommendation 2 a. Ensure all domestic violence related services are inclusive and accessible, and that they are developed in consultation with disabled women. b. Amend domestic violence legislation to include, within the definition of domestic violence, violence occurring between a person and their nonfamily caregiver or paid support worker. Forced marriage, dowry, violence towards ethnic women 15. There is no systemic data collection on the rates and prevalence of forced marriage in New Zealand. This is concerning as girls aged 16 or 17 can currently get married with parental consent. Shakti International recorded 64 cases of actual or threatened forced marriage from January 2009 to November 2011.12 As this data relates to only one geographical area it is likely the actual number is higher. 16. Currently there is a Bill before Parliament that would remove the ability of parents to consent to marriage on behalf of 16 and 17-year-olds.13 The power to approve such marriages will instead rest with a Family Court Judge. The Commission’s position is that marriage should be outlawed for all people under the age of 18 years, to bring New Zealand in line with international law.14 17. Victims of family violence within ethnic communities can face potential stigma when disclosing violence, and can experience a lack of trust in, and fear of, authority.15 Information about violence, processes for reporting domestic violence, and the supports available following violent incidents are often not culturally sensitive and the details may not be available in the required languages. Recommendation 3 a. Raise the legal minimum age of marriage to 18 years without any exceptions. b. Introduce legal measures to prohibit forced marriages. c. Consult with ethnic NGOs and resource them to establish an ethnic violence prevention strategy for New Zealand. 12 Shakti International – a non-profit organisation serving migrant and refugee women of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin, https://shakti-international.org/shakti-nz/ 13 Marriage (Court Consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment Bill 14 Submission available at https://www.parliament.nz/resource/enNZ/51SCJE_EVI_BILL_73911_A565358/afe35d47dd363a9e34ef526aac285d8c91c227b7 15 Simon-Kumar, Rachel, Kurian, PA, Young-Silcock, F, Narasimhan, N. (2017) Mobilising culture against domestic violence in migrant and ethnic communities: practitioner perspectives from Aotearoa/New Zealand, https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/34249 6