ACC is investing $44.9 million to establish a sexual violence primary prevention system over the next four years, including $11.715 million for kaupapa Māori approaches.
The system will focus on those who are impacted most by both violence and the current response gaps – Māori, Pasifika, disabled, rainbow, ethnic and migrant communities as well as older New Zealanders – and include a range of initiatives, including education, workforce development, community mobilisation and behaviour change.
Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Minister, Marama Davidson, says the system will focus on more than just violence.
“It will look at the whole community and address the social drivers that allow sexual violence to occur.”
Minister for ACC Carmel Sepuloni says the new Te-Tiriti-informed primary prevention system announced will provide long-term, sustained investment and enhance the government’s effort to prevent sexual violence.
“ACC will continue to work with the joint venture across government, iwi, communities and providers on the design phase. Looking at the most effective and efficient ways of implementing this new way of preventing sexual violence,” says Sepuloni.
“One of the first priorities will be establishing sustainable ways for communities to mobilise and develop a greater understanding of mana-enhancing and tapu enriched healthy, consensual relationships. This community mobilisation will help reinforce health relationship education in schools, being led by the Ministry of Education."
Minister Sepuloni says almost a quarter of adults in New Zealand have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, and around one in six people are affected by sexual violence before the age of 18.
“These high rates cannot continue. We need to put in place systems that protect our whānau and our future generations."
Associate Minister for ACC Willie Jackson says, as Treaty partners, ACC will prioritise Māori and partner with whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori communities.
“Māori are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence and, while many effects are common for all people, Māori experience sexual violence in culturally distinct ways. This requires solutions that are led by Māori, with Māori and for Māori.”
Minister Davidson says, “The approach being taken by ACC, aligns with the wider kaupapa of the joint venture and soon to be released national strategy, which recognises that we cannot eliminate violence if we focus solely on response. This is why we are working with communities to develop prevention and healing components to stop violence from happening in the first place.”