METRONEWS
© New Zealand Broadcasting School 2024

Government funding a 'great start' towards ending family violence

Hugo Cameron

A Christchurch-based family and sexual violence service is happy with the $320 million pledged to ending abuse in New Zealand.

Aviva communications manager Julie McCloy said she was "very pleased" to have more support for the previously underfunded services.

The government has pledged $320 million from the upcoming "Wellbeing" Budget to stopping family and sexual violence.

Aviva is a Christchurch-based family and sexual violence service that provides support, advocacy, and assistance to adults and children.

McCloy said the funding would better enable programmes like Aviva's specialist peer support service.

She said the government plans would enable improved services for young people with issues such as sexual violence recovery.

McCloy said she was unsure whether the funding would be enough to tackle the "big economic and social cost" of family and sexual violence, but it was a "great start" towards overcoming the issue.

Money would also be allocated to the police-hosted Integrated Safety Response (ISR) site in Christchurch.

ISR is a multi-agency programme that works with both victims and offenders of abuse, piloting collaboration between justice, health, and education agencies.

A police spokesperson said the funding would go to specialist services hosted by the ISR and some new initiatives.