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Risk assessment: What is it and how can it be applied in family violence? (PDF, 377.33 KB)

Risk assessment: What is it and how can it be applied in family violence? (Word DOC, 882.5 KB)

Key messages

• Risk assessment must be considered as a piece in the wider puzzle of risk management.
• Adequate services need to be provided for those considered at “less” risk, so they receive an appropriate response. This also reduces the imperative for service providers to escalate a case, in order to get help for a person.
• Effective risk assessment and management needs to be grounded in an integrated response system. This needs to have:
  - Underlying principles which shape how practitioners respond.
  - Training for practitioners in the effective conduct of risk assessment and the effective communication of results.
  - Appropriate risk assessment tools should be selected, with monitoring to ensure they are used as intended and that they support risk management decision making.
  - Clarity of roles and responsibilities for all components of the system.
• Co-location of professionals for risk management appears very beneficial to facilitate adequate communication. Co-location:
  - Enhances the development of a unique culture which supports increased trust and information sharing between professionals from different agencies.
  - Facilitates the process of risk management planning by reducing turnaround times and enhancing access to services.
  - Where effective colocation is not achievable, clear roles, responsibilities, communication strategies and a common culture around family violence must be developed to ensure a consistent response is provided.
• Effective communication of risk, using common language, is vital to ensure all professionals understand how an estimation of risk was derived.
  - Training is required across government agencies to ensure there is a consistent understanding of family violence – including understanding definitions and patterns of violence.
  - To develop a common language, training should be shared across government agencies, rather than being delivered within agencies.
• Effective risk management requires a lead agency to take responsibility for the implementation of planned activities. This lead agency also needs to be tasked with the responsibility of regularly reviewing risk in light of developments.
  - Agencies need to be aware of each other’s roles and responsibilities within the risk management system.
  - Where limitations exist within the family violence risk management system, external resourcing may be required to ensure all risks are effectively addressed.

Authors

Pauline Gulliver¹, PhD and Janet Fanslow², PhD

¹ Research Fellow, New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

² Associate Professor, Social and Community Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland; Co-Director, New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

Gulliver, P., & Fanslow, J. (2015). Risk assessment: What is it and how can it be applied in family violence? Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only.

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Creating change: Mobilising New Zealand communities to prevent family violence (PDF, 621 KB)

Creating change: Mobilising New Zealand communities to prevent family violence (Word DOC, 1.7 MB)

Key messages

• Community mobilisation is a complex and long-term approach but has the potential to transform communities.
• Principles of community mobilisation include: a social change perspective; whole community engagement; collaboration; being community-led; and, a vision for a better world.
• Community mobilisation approaches make theoretical and practical sense. As a recent approach, the necessary components of community mobilisation are still emerging, and projects are learning as they go.
• Supporting this work to develop requires thinking in new ways from all involved, from funders and policy makers to NGO leaders, practitioners and community members.
• It also requires some different and sustained investment in coordination roles, workforce development, and new leadership skills.
• Internationally, there are a few examples which show promise in terms of effectiveness, and there are also promising NZ initiatives. However most have not been evaluated. There must be investment in research and evaluation to learn more about what works to create change.
• Findings from international projects indicate that CM efforts can result in substantial reductions in violence in relatively short periods of time, e.g. 2-3 years.

Authors

Sheryl Hann¹ & Cristy Trewartha²

¹ Master of Arts (Hons) (Sociology); Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences)

² Master of Public Health (Hons); Post Graduate Diploma (Psychology); Bachelor of Arts (Psychology); Bachelor of Commerce (Management and Employment Relations)

Hann, S., & Trewartha, C. (2015). Creating change: Mobilising New Zealand communities to prevent family violence. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only.

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Intimate partner violence and the workplace (PDF, 367.79 KB)

Intimate partner violence and the workplace (Word DOC, 465 KB)

Key messages

• Intimate partner violence is common.
• Many victims and perpetrators are in paid work.
• Workplaces provide an ideal place for intervention and raising awareness about intimate partner violence.
• Barriers to action by workplaces can include: a lack of understanding of the size, nature and impact of the problem and not knowing how to respond to the issue; not recognising the high cost to their businesses.
• Active adoption of strategies to support those who experience intimate partner violence is important to secure their long-term safety. There are local and international examples of these strategies. These include:

1. Adopting workplace practices and policies (e.g. flexible work hours, flexible work locations, security practices, awareness raising)
2. The inclusion of entitlements that support victims’ safety in collective agreements
3. Partnering with specialised family violence agencies to support in-house training and facilitate referrals
4. Legislation, related to work leave, anti-discrimination and occupational safety and health.

By actively engaging with the realities of intimate partner violence, organisations can avoid taking on the financial and resource costs associated with its occurrence and impacts in the workplace.  Most importantly, it will help establish healthier and more equitable workplaces for all employees.

Authors

Margaret Rayner-Thomas¹, Janet Fanslow², PhD, Robyn Dixon³, PhD.

¹ Master of Public Health; Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)

² Associate Professor, Social & Community Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland; Co-Director, New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

³ Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Auckland; Co-Director, New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

Rayner-Thomas, M., Fanslow, J., Dixon, R. (2014). Intimate partner violence and the workplace. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only

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Kaupapa Māori wellbeing framework: The basis for whānau violence prevention and intervention (PDF, 542 KB)

Kaupapa Māori wellbeing framework: The basis for whānau violence prevention and intervention (Word DOC, 923 KB)

Key messages

• Māori are over-represented in family violence statistics as both victims and perpetrators. The causes of whānau violence are acknowledged as complex and as sourced from both historical and contemporary factors. The impact of colonisation needs to be considered in order to respond effectively to whānau violence.
• Western approaches have not curbed the epidemic of whānau violence. Multi-level approaches to whānau violence prevention and intervention are more likely to achieve the best results.
• Understanding the difference between whānau and family is critical in terms of any prevention and intervention practices, policies and legislation.
• The use of cultural imperatives, for example, whakapapa, tikanga, wairua, tapu, mauri, and mana, has the potential to inform wellbeing in intimate partner and whānau relationships, transform behaviours and provide alternatives to violence. Using these imperatives can guide transformative practices and inform strategies for whānau violence prevention and whānau wellbeing. They can also be seen as protective factors within whānau, hapū and iwi.
• Culturally responsive initiatives and programmes that restore and strengthen whānau and communities should be considered as well as the individual based interventions of mainstream for Māori whānau. Kaupapa Māori conceptual frameworks, for example the Mauri Ora framework, advocate for the development of Māori models that change the way whānau violence is understood and managed.
• Successful programmes are likely to have:
  - Māori population based responses that complement the work of Māori and other community-based intervention services. These should be grounded in te reo me ona tikanga (Māori language and culture), underpinned by Māori values and beliefs, Māori cultural paradigms and frameworks
  - Government agencies working in close collaboration with iwi organisations to facilitate the implementation of Māori whānau violence prevention initiatives that meet the needs, priorities and aspirations of iwi
  - Funding sufficient to (a) engage leaders and staff who have the nationally and locally recognised skills to ensure successful implementation of violence prevention initiatives, and (b) to allow for local consultation and subsequent responsiveness in planned activities and projects
  - Support for capacity building opportunities for both prevention and intervention staff, including opportunities for networking, advocacy, and training
  - Māori violence prevention initiatives that are funded for research and evaluation in a way that builds local knowledge within a Māori worldview.

Authors

Terry Dobbs¹ & Moana Eruera²

¹ Ngāpuhi iwi, Te Mahurihuri Ngāti Pakau hapū, MA (Childhood and Youth Studies) (Dist), PostGrad Dip Child Advocacy (Dist), Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW)

² Ngāpuhi / Ngāti Ruanui oku iwi, M.Phil (Social Work), PostGrad Dip Social Policy & Social Work, BA, Registered Social Worker

Dobbs, T. & Eruera, T. (2014). Kaupapa Māori wellbeing framework: The basis for whānau violence prevention and intervention. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only

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Effectively involving men in preventing violence against women (PDF, 578 KB)

Effectively involving men in preventing violence against women (Word DOC, 798 KB)

Powerpoint presentation on the paper, Nov 2013 (PDF, 6 MB))

Powerpoint presentation on the paper, Nov 2013 (PPT, 15 MB)

Key messages

• Engaging boys and men to prevent violence against women can make a difference
• The main reasons for involving men in violence prevention are:
  - While most men do not use violence against women, when violence does occur it is largely perpetrated by men
  - Constructions of masculinity play a crucial role in shaping men’s violence against women
  - Men have a positive role to play in helping stop violence against women
• A ‘gender transformative’ approach involves challenging rigid gender roles and critically questioning what influences these. Programmes involving a ‘gender transformative’ approach are effective in changing men’s attitudes and behaviours related to violence against women.
• Other principles for engaging men include:
  - Positive messages ‘inviting’ rather than ‘indicting’ men can be more effective
  - There is diversity in how masculinities are constructed and expressed in different cultural contexts and social settings. Culturally-relevant material that acknowledges men’s social contexts and draws on their personal experiences is required
• Men can prevent violence to women by not personally engaging in violence, by challenging the violence of other men, and by addressing the root causes of violence
• There are local and international examples that can be built on to increase the involvement of men in this work

Author

Garth Baker, BA (Social Anthropology), PGDipBusAdmin (Dispute Resolution). Violence prevention researcher and programme designer.

Baker, G. (2013). Effectively involving men in preventing violence against women. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only

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Policy and practice implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting (PDF, 335 KB)

Policy and practice implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting (WORD DOC, 745 KB)

Key Messages

This paper explores the system responses required to support children exposed to intimate partner violence. Guiding principles for protecting children and adults exposed to child maltreatment and intimate partner violence include:

• Provide holistic support for children
• Support the non-abusing parent
• Support the mother-child relationship
• Hold the perpetrator accountable
• Be culturally responsive

Children’s safety and wellbeing is highly dependent on the quality of their bond with their non-abusive parent (most often the mother). Programmes to support mothers and children need to include a focus on supporting them to strengthen or re-establish their relationship, which may have been damaged by exposure to violence.

Parenting programmes for fathers who have used violence need to emphasise the need to end violence against their children’s mothers (they cannot be “a lousy partner but a good dad”).

There needs to be adequately resourced services to support children, adult victim/survivors and perpetrators. These services need to work in co-ordinated and collaborative ways, as part of multi-agency response systems, and work from a sophisticated understanding of intimate partner violence.

The United States Centers for Disease Control have identified safe, stable, and nurturing relationships as fundamental in supporting children to thrive. Exposure to intimate partner violence and the impact of violence on the parenting children receive need to become key areas of work in responding to ‘vulnerable children’.

Note: The Clearinghouse co-hosted a one-day conference, Children, Child maltreatment and intimate partner violence: Research, policy and practice on 5 June 2013. Speakers include Professor Jeff Edleson, one of the world's leading authorities on children exposed to domestic violence. Presentations are available.

Related paper

Understanding connections and relationships: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting

Murphy, C., Paton, N., Gulliver, P., & Fanslow, J. (2013). Policy and practice implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only

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Understanding connections and relationships: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting (PDF, 392 KB)

Understanding connections and relationships: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting (Word DOC, 570 KB)

Key Messages

This Issues Paper reviews the evidence on the frequency with which intimate partner violence and child maltreatment co-occur. The United States NatSCEV study showed:

• 34% of the children who had witnessed intimate partner violence had also been subjected to direct maltreatment in the past year, compared to 9% of those who had not witnessed intimate partner violence.
• Over their lifetimes, over half of those (57%) who had witnessed intimate partner violence were also maltreated, compared to 11% of those who had not witnessed intimate partner violence.
• Men were more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence incidents that were witnessed by children than were women, with 68% of children witnessing violence only by men.

Exposure to violence can have ongoing negative impacts on children and young people’s health, education, social and economic wellbeing.

Recommendations from this paper include the need for greater recognition of:

• The links between child maltreatment and intimate partner violence
• The detrimental effects of children’s exposure to intimate partner violence
• The disruption to mother-child relationships due to intimate partner violence
• The poor fathering that can accompany perpetration of intimate partner violence

This needs to translate to greater understanding of the importance of supporting children’s relationships with the non-abusive parent. This work needs to include creating conditions of safety, and may need to include active work to help restore relationships between non-abusive parents and their children. Work to address poor fathering is also necessary.

NZFVC Issues Paper 4, Policy and practice implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting, explores the system responses required to support children exposed to intimate partner violence.

Note: The Clearinghouse co-hosted a one-day conference, Children, Child maltreatment and intimate partner violence: Research, policy and practice on 5 June 2013. Speakers include Professor Jeff Edleson, one of the world's leading authorities on children exposed to domestic violence. Presentations are available.

Related paper

Policy and practice implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting

Murphy, C., Paton, N., Gulliver, P., & Fanslow, J. (2013). Understanding connections and relationships: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of Auckland.

ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only

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Measurement of family violence at a population level (PDF, 392 KB)

Measurement of family violence at a population level (Word DOC, 570 KB)

Summary

This Issues Paper reviews some of the available sources of data on family violence, assesses strengths and limitations of these data sources for measuring trends in family violence, and seeks to assist the reader to develop an understanding of the issues associated with family violence data collections.

Government agencies, non-government organisations and researchers all require reliable measures of family violence to understand the magnitude of the problem, to appropriately target resources, and to identify strategies that are effective in reducing and ultimately eliminating family violence.

In this paper we: Draw attention to the data that is currently available in New Zealand;

• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of this data in relation to monitoring trends in family violence at the population level;
• Highlight opportunities for further development of existing datasets, drawing on the experiences of other developed countries;
• Consider some of the implications for reporting family violence data at the national level; and
• Suggest some future courses of action which could support the development of reliable and valid family violence indicators.

Gulliver, P., Fanslow, J. (2012). Measurement of family violence at a population level: What might be needed to develop reliable and valid family violence indicators? Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of Auckland.

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ISSN: 2253-3222, published online only