This study builds on the work of the 2003 Violence Against Women Study and seeks to fill some of the information gaps not covered in the 2003 work. Findings from the 2019 survey provide new population ‘baseline’ statistics on the prevalence of violence exposure. The final sample size for this study was 2887 and consisted of 1423 men and 1464 women who completed interviews between March 2017 and March 2019. Read more about the methodology

Key findings and policy and practice implications from He Koiora Matapopore | The 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study (Fanslow & McIntosh, 2023)
This 28 page report provides a snapshot (with infographics) of some study findings, including information on: prevalence of physical and sexual violence experience by non-partners, prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), gender differences in IPV exposure, and rates of violence against disabled people. Information on adverse childhood experiences and intergenerational effects is also provided. The importance of social support after IPV is mentioned. Policy and practice recommendations are offered.

Findings published so far are available in these publications:

Exploratory analysis of violence against older people as recorded in He Koiora Matapopore | the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study (Fanslow & Gulliver, 2025)

Women’s lifetime interpersonal violence exposure and associations with hospitalization at the national level: Results from a New Zealand population-based study (Fanslow, Gulliver, Selak, & McIntosh, 2025) Open access

Men’s lifetime interpersonal violence exposure and associations with hospitalization at the national level: Results from a New Zealand population-based study (Fanslow, Gulliver, Mellar, Selak & McIntosh, 2025) Open access

Help-seeking by women and men after experiencing any IPV, including physical, sexual, and psychological IPV, controlling behaviors, or economic abuse: A population-based study from New Zealand (Fanslow, Mellar, malihi,  Gulliver & McIntosh, 2025) Open access

Economic abuse by an intimate partner and its associations with women’s socioeconomic status and mental health (Mellar,  Fanslow, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2024) Open access

Ethnic-specific prevalence rates of intimate partner violence against women in New Zealand (Fanslow, Mellar, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2023) Open access

Evidence of gender asymmetry in intimate partner violence experience at the population-level (Fanslow, Mellar, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2023) Open access

Association between women’s exposure to intimate partner violence and self-reported health outcomes in New Zealand
(Mellar, Hashemi, Selak, Gulliver, McIntosh & Fanslow, 2023). Open access

Association between men’s exposure to intimate partner violence and self-reported health outcomes in New Zealand (Mellar, Gulliver, Selak, Hashemi, McIntosh & Fanslow, 2023). Open access

Prevalence of interpersonal violence against women and men in New Zealand: Results of a cross-sectional study (Fanslow, Malihi, Hashemi,  Gulliver & McIntosh, 2022). Open access

Change in prevalence rates of physical and sexual intimate partner violence against women: Data from two cross-sectional studies in New Zealand, 2003 and 2019 (Fanslow, Hashemi, Malihi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Change in prevalence of psychological and economic abuse, and controlling behaviours against women by an intimate partner in two cross-sectional studies in New Zealand, 2003 and 2019 (Fanslow, Malihi, Hashemi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Relational mobility and other contributors to decline in intimate partner violence (Hashemi, Fanslow, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

A century of sexual abuse victimisation: A birth cohort analysis (Fanslow, Hashemi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence and disability: Results from a population-based study in New Zealand (Fanslow, Malihi, Hashemi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Prevalence of nonpartner physical and sexual violence against people with disabilities (Malihi, Fanslow, Hashemi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Exploring the health burden of cumulative and specific adverse childhood experiences in New Zealand : results from a population-based study (Hashemi, Fanslow, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021). Open access

Adverse childhood experiences in New Zealand and subsequent victimization in adulthood: Findings from a population-based study (Fanslow, Hashemi, Gulliver & McIntosh, 2021)

All publications related to this study can be found in the Vine library.

New Zealand Violence Against Women (2003)

The New Zealand Violence Against Women Study (2003) involved face-to-face interviews with 2,855 women from a random sample in the community.

Articles published based on findings from this study are in the Vine library.

The New Zealand Crime & Victims Survey (NZCVS) collects information about New Zealanders’ experience of crime. This has run every year since 2018 asking 8,000 New Zealanders from all walks of life about their experiences. The NZCVS has replaced the the previous New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey (NZCASS) series.

Latest survey findings - Cycle 8 (2025), published March 2026.

See victimisation infographics in the Key findings report.

Findings from each cycle are published in reports, data tables, infographics and topic reports:

Resources and results - see left hand index for data for each Cycle

Previous surveys:

2014 New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey

Earlier New Zealand crime and safety surveys‍

The first National Survey of the Health and Wellbeing of New Zealand Secondary School Students was conducted in 2001 by the Adolescent Health Research Group (AHRG),  University of Auckland. The survey covered a wide range of health-related areas including witnessing violence in the home, experience of physical violence, antisocial behaviours, antisocial messaging and sexual abuse and coercion. The survey was repeated in 2007, 2012 and 2019. Findings on violence are included in these reports.

The Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey (Youth19) is the latest in the Youth2000 series of health and wellbeing surveys. Reports and briefs of findings are published in the publications section of the Youth19 website. On the ethnic and community specific data page you will find reports highlighting findings for specific groups of students.

Full Youth '12 survey results are published in:

Youth '12 prevalence tables: The health and wellbeing of New Zealand secondary school students in 2012. (Clark, T.C., et al. AHRG, 2013).

Youth2000 series publications with a focus on family violence and sexual violence

Youth19: Safety & violence brief (Fleming, T. et al, AHRG, 2021)

Sexual and reproductive health and sexual violence among New Zealand secondary school students: Findings from the Youth `12 national youth health and wellbeing survey. (Clark, T.C. et al. AHRG, 2016).

Young people and violence: Youth '07. The health and wellbeing of secondary school students in New Zealand. (Fleming, T., et al. AHRG, 2009).

More Youth2000 series publications

Learn more about the Adolescent Health Research Group‍

This section contains research outputs from the National Study on the Abuse of Older People (AOP) as well as two other research reports on AOP that were also commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development's Prevention of Abuse of Older People work programme.

The National Study of Abuse of Older People has been released by the NZ Policy Research Institute and Auckland University of Technology. This research project combined a prevalence survey, administrative data analysis, qualitative interviews, financial sector research and economic modelling. It provides the most comprehensive evidence summary to date on the scale, nature, impacts, and costs of AOP in Aotearoa. It was commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) as part of its Prevention of Abuse of Older People work programme, with the National Study undertaken in 2024 and 2025.

The National Study produced ten research reports. The summary of findings provides an overview of the main results, while the remaining reports present more detailed analysis from each part of the study.

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National Study of Abuse of Older People

Overview

National Study of Abuse of Older People: Summary of findings (Meehan, L. et al, 2026).

Brings together the main findings from across the study, including the prevalence, nature, impacts and costs of harm, and key recommendations.

Disability synthesis report (Meehan, L. et al, 2026).

Brings together findings from across the study relating to the experiences of disabled older people.

Prevalence survey

Prevalence survey on the abuse of older people in New Zealand (Meehan, L. et al, 2026).

Presents findings from a nationally representative survey of 5,613 people aged 55 and over living in the community. It examines the prevalence and different types of harm, who is responsible for the harm, and help-seeking behaviour.

Prevalence survey: Methodology report (IPSOS, 2026).

Describes how the prevalence survey was designed and conducted, including sampling, data collection, weighting and quality assurance.

Defining thresholds for measuring prevalence of abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand (Scott, A. et al, 2026).

Explains how the study determined which experiences of harm were included in its prevalence estimates, drawing on international research, expert consultation and survey data.

Administrative data analysis

Abuse of older people: Integrated Data Infrastructure analysis (Chen, W.-L. et al, 2026).

Uses linked administrative data to examine recorded incidents of harm among older people living in the community, and their subsequent health and economic outcomes.

Abuse of older people in aged residential care: Supplementary analysis (Chen, W.-L. et al, 2026).

Examines what administrative data can tell us about harm experienced by older people living in aged residential care, including important gaps in the available evidence.

Qualitative research and financial harm

Findings from qualitative interviews with older NZ European, Māori, Pacific and disabled people who have experienced abuse (Wilson, D. et al, 2026).

Explores older people’s lived experiences of harm, the circumstances in which it occurs, and the barriers and enablers to seeking help.

Finance and legal sector perspectives on financial abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand (Scott, A. et al, 2026).

Examines how financial harm is identified, addressed and prevented by financial institutions and legal professionals, and opportunities to strengthen protections for older people.

Economic and social costs

Economic and social costs of abuse of older people (Benson, R. et al, 2026).

Estimates the economic costs of harm to older people, their families and whānau, government and wider society, and discusses broader consequences for wellbeing.

You can find all 10 outputs collected here.

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Additional AOP research from the MSD Prevention of Abuse of Older People work programme

Prevention of the abuse of takatāpui and rainbow older people | Kia oraora ngā puāwai i te puhikaioreore, ka ū te kanorau ki te kāuru katoa (Dickson, S. et al, 2026).

The report, published by Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland, focuses on the prevention of abuse of Takatāpui and Rainbow older people, which includes physical, sexual, financial, psychological, cultural, and spiritual harm, and neglect.

Exploratory analysis of violence against older people as recorded in He Koiora Matapopore | the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study (Fanslow, J. and Gulliver, P., 2025).

This report, also published by Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland, aims to improve our understanding of the abuse of older people (AOP) in Aotearoa New Zealand by re-analysing the dataset from the New Zealand Family Violence Study | He Koiora Matapopore.

The Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) is a longitudinal study conducted by a team at the University of Otago in Christchurch.  It has been in existence for nearly 50 years. During this time it has followed the health, education, and life progress of a group of 1,265 children born in the Ōtautahi | Christchurch urban region in mid-1977.

The Vine library includes selected articles from the CHDS focusing on adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence.

Learn more about the Christchurch Health and Development Study

The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (Dunedin Study) is a longitudinal study conducted by the University of Otago. It has been in existence for over 50 years. During this time it has followed the health, education and life progress of a group 1033 children born in the Otago region in 1972-3.

The Vine library includes selected articles and reports from the Dunedin Study focusing on adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence.

Learn more about the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.

The Pacific Islands Families Study (PIF Study) is a longitudinal study following a cohort of 1398 Pacific children born in 2000.

The Vine library includes selected articles from the PIF Study

Learn more about the Pacific Islands Families Study‍