Who we are
The Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration is a community of NEARLY FIFTY organisations and agencies that work within the wider family violence sector in Canterbury. Established in 2011, the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration comprises a diverse team of partners working from within the Family Violence Sector, as well as stakeholders working across the Health, Education and National and Local Government Sectors.
Our purpose
Together, we work to improve and enhance the total response to family violence through system wide innovation and improvement.
Why we exist
Family violence remains a significant social problem for the Canterbury community. In the year to date since 1 July 2016, there have been 10.79 thousand episodes of family violence reported to Christchurch Police. Of this, 4,416 reports of violence are between partners and 2,877 between ex-partners. Involved in these episodes have been 5,175 children under the age of 13. Research evidence suggests that only 1/5 of family violence is reported to police, further suggesting a real level of family violence being closer to 50,000 incidents per year. This equates to 1 incident every 10 minutes in our community.
Our journey
The Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 and the resulting loss of life, injury and massive damage to key infrastructure and services have strongly increased the risk factors fueling these worrying statistics. The impact of the earthquakes on the Family Violence sector was immense. Immediately following the events, family violence services reported a dramatic increase in the level of demand and case complexity. For example, in the weekend following the September 2010 earthquake Canterbury Police reported a 53% increase in call outs to family violence incidents (2011). Child Youth and Family data also reflects an increase in family violence, with substantiated cases of abuse increasing markedly from 1,130 cases in 2009 to 1,650 cases in 2011 (2014). These numbers remain elevated to date. Additionally, the long term psycho-social effects of the earthquakes such as post-traumatic stress and increased drug and alcohol consumption are still having a major impact on the Canterbury community. Approximately one fifth of the community report drinking more than they did prior to the earthquakes and the region holds the highest rate for prescriptions of antidepressants in the country (CDHB, 2013 ), (Stuff, 2014). These extra pressures faced by families and individuals put added strain on relationships and are known to increase aggression, short temperedness and the frequency and severity of family violence. The New Zealand Police have noted that many of those reporting family violence events have referred to the stresses of the earthquake as contributing factors to the violence (2010).
In the months following these events, key leaders in the family violence sector in Canterbury recognised the opportunity to work systemically to address the unique challenges faced by the region. They began meeting on a regular basis to discuss the ways they could collaborate to manage the heightened need and provide the most coherent and efficient service to Canterbury families/whānau. In 2012 these leaders formed the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration.
Today, the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration has grown into a mature community with membership extending from the immediate family violence sector to agencies and organisations in the wider human services such as Health, Mental Health, Justice, Kaupapa Māori, Youth Work, Budgeting, Local Government Sectors and more. Our members through our Reference Group, Steering Group and dedicated Work Streams are well underway taking action in five identified strategic priority areas: Prevention, Learning & Development, Crisis Response, Voice & Connection and Sexual Violence.
In the months following these events, key leaders in the family violence sector in Canterbury recognised the opportunity to work systemically to address the unique challenges faced by the region. They began meeting on a regular basis to discuss the ways they could collaborate to manage the heightened need and provide the most coherent and efficient service to Canterbury families/whānau. In 2012 these leaders formed the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration.
Today, the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration has grown into a mature community with membership extending from the immediate family violence sector to agencies and organisations in the wider human services such as Health, Mental Health, Justice, Kaupapa Māori, Youth Work, Budgeting, Local Government Sectors and more. Our members through our Reference Group, Steering Group and dedicated Work Streams are well underway taking action in five identified strategic priority areas: Prevention, Learning & Development, Crisis Response, Voice & Connection and Sexual Violence.
