NZFVC releases data summaries; questions raised about Police response

NZFVC data summaries released today show a drop in recorded offences at family violence incidents, despite the fact that the number of Police family violence investigations has continued to increase. Applications for Protection Orders and prosecuted breaches of Protection Orders have also dropped.

Labour Justice spokesperson Andrew Little and Women's Refuge spokesperson Kiri Hannifin said they believed Police were under pressure to keep crime statistics down. This was denied by Police Acting Assistant Commissioner - Prevention, Dave Trappitt.

NZFVC Research Fellow Pauline Guliver also said,

“While the number of Police Safety Orders being issued has increased every year since they were introduced in 2010, over the same period there has been a reduction in the number of applications for Protection Orders. There has also been an increase in the number of family violence investigations with no offence recorded. We believe that it is important to understand if PSOs are being issued appropriately. It is important to understand why there has been a reduction in Protection Order applications and increase in family violence investigations with no offence recorded during this time. Are victims of family violence being adequately protected?”

The data summaries available are:

• Data Summaries Snapshot, June 2014
• Data Summary 1: Family Violence Deaths, June 2014 
• Data Summary 2: Violence Against Women, June 2014
• Data Summary 3: Children and Youth affected by Family Violence, June 2014
• Data Summary 4: Child Sexual Abuse, June 2014
• Data Summary 5: Adult Sexual Violence, June 2014