Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence Cabinet Paper,76 there is
also acknowledgement, among other things, of developing shared definitions for
sexual and family violence. The Ministerial Group’s proposed work programme will
work across Government to look at each aspect of the response to sexual and family
violence; prevention; identification and initial response; incident response and
safety; and long term recovery.
132
There are a number of other promising new initiatives underway including a
proposed population survey to ascertain the full extent of family and sexual violence
in New Zealand, a more efficient and ‘mobile’ way that Police are collecting family
violence data, an innovative new model of how victims of sexual violence are
managed, and the pilot of healthy relationship training in nine secondary colleges.
133
The Minister of Justice has also asked the Law Commission to resume work on
proposals to better support victims of sexual violence through the Criminal Justice
system. The Law Commission report is due out before the end of 2016.
134
Business has an important role to play in addressing domestic violence. The Impacts
of Domestic Violence on Workers and the Workplace 2014 Survey commissioned by
the Public Service Association (PSA) revealed that half of respondents had some
experience of family violence and over 25% had direct experience in New Zealand.77
135
Recent research has found that domestic violence is a workplace issue and estimated
to cost employers in New Zealand on average $368 million a year or $3.7 billion
dollars when combined over the next ten years. The report concluded by stating that
workplace protections could reduce cost and increase productivity.78
136
The Commission recommends that the Committee urges the Government to:
report back to the Committee within 18 months on the work of the Ministerial
Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence;
report back to the Committee within 18 months on the Law Commission’s
report and the actions that the Government will take in response to that
report;
develop in consultation with civil society an agreed definition of sexual and
family violence and an appropriate minimum data set of indicators;
ensure that one of the outcomes of work of the Ministerial Group on Family
and Violence and Sexual Violence is a process to co-ordinate and monitor all
76
https://beehive.govt.nz/webfm_send/68
Margaret Michelle Rayner- Thomas, “The impacts of domestic violence on Workers in the Workplace”, A thesis
submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health (MPH), The University of
Auckland, 2013. https://www.psa.org.nz/media/
78
PSA, “Productivity Gains from Workplace Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence” (21 March 2014).
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Human Rights Commission submission to the Human Rights Committee in relation to New Zealand’s 6th periodic review under the ICCPR