There are a range of strategies and legislation to support those experiencing violence in New Zealand.
National Strategy and Action Plan
Te Aorerekura: the National Strategy and Action Plan to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence is a 25-year Strategy and Action Plan for eliminating family violence and sexual violence.
Te Puna Aonui was established to bring together ten government agencies who are responsible for working together, and with Māori, communities, and the wider family violence and sexual violence sectors.
The Ministry for Women is an associate agency to Te Puna Aonui, and provides gendered advice, supports with engagement and implementation, and participates in the data and insights group.
All work under the first Action Plan concluded in December 2023. The second Action Plan was launched in December 2024 and outlines the actions that will be taken between 2025 – 2030.
Legislation
New Zealand has a range of legislative responses to prevent violence and support victims, including:
- Crimes Act 1961: the foundational piece of modern criminal justice legislation in New Zealand. Since 1961, many amendments and repeals have been made to the Act to update it for a contemporary context.
- Human Rights Act 1993: enacted to provide better protection of human rights in New Zealand in general accordance with United Nations Covenants or Conventions on Human Rights, including freedom from discrimination and freedom from violence. The Human Rights Commission provides support in this area.
- Domestic Violence Act 1995: enacted to ensure the legal protection for victims of any physical, sexual, and psychological domestic violence. This act was reviewed in 2012 and was repealed and superseded by the Family Violence Act 2018.
- Employment Relations Act 2000: allows people affected by family violence short-term leave.
- Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015: aims to help people dealing with repetitive and serious harmful digital communications. It has ten communication principles to guide how we communicate online. Netsafe is the Approved Agency to monitor and respond to complaints under the Act.
- Domestic Violence – Victims’ Protection Act 2018: adds legal protections in the workplace for people affected by domestic violence.
- Sexual Violence Legislation Act 2021: aims to reduce secondary harm to victims of sexual violence within the justice system.
International response
New Zealand is committed to preventing violence against women and girls at an international level. Our key international commitment to prevent violence is to the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
New Zealand has submitted its ninth periodic report to the United Nations, which outlines the progress made in preventing violence against women and girls in areas. Read the final report here.
Migrants in New Zealand who are experiencing family violence can apply for the Victims of Family Violence Work or Resident Visa option. This can help those dependent on a partner to be in New Zealand to have a pathway to a more stable environment.
The government also works on initiatives to address online harm at an international scale, including the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse.