Vine Quick Reads: 11 September 2026

Vine Quick Reads: 11 September 2026

Welcome to our Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa.

New report on workplace responses to victims of intimate partner violence (IPV)

The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges | Ngā Whare Whakaruruhau o Aotearoa has published Workplace Responses to Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Aotearoa (2026). This report, part of Women’s Refuge’s broader research project Safer When, Safer How?, explores victims’ experiences of workplace responses to IPV, as well as public understandings of workplace initiatives. For more, see RNZ’s coverage, More women disclosing family violence to workplaces.

Report released on New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) progress towards eliminating harmful behaviour

Te Mana Arotake | The Audit Office has released their third audit report on the implementation of Operation Respect: New Zealand Defence Force: Progress towards eliminating harmful behaviour (2026). It focusses on how well the operation is being supported and modelled by senior leaders within the NZDF. Operation Respect was launched in response to three separate reviews that identified harmful behaviour in the armed forces. For an overview, see NZ Herald’s coverage: Defence Force personnel still fear speaking out on sexual and other harm, audit finds.

New State Redress Service launched for survivors of abuse in State care

A new State Redress Service has been launched, which operates on behalf of all State redress agencies and creates one point of contact regardless of which agency was responsible for a survivor’s care. Survivors seeking information, wanting to make a new claim, or wanting to understand what happens next can now visit www.redress.govt.nz. Note: this does not affect existing claims. Survivors who already have a redress claim do not need to start the process again. The agency currently managing their claim will continue to do so.

New factsheet on outcomes for victims of reported sexual assaults released

Te Tāhū o te Ture | Ministry of Justice has released their factsheet, Justice System Outcomes for Victims of Reported Sexual Assaults (2026). This factsheet identifies the most common points at which reported sexual assault cases stop progressing through the justice system, and the victims most affected. The findings contained within the factsheet highlight difference in outcomes, including by age at both time of victimisation and reporting, gender, ethnicity and whether the perpetrator was a current or ex-intimate partner.

Summary report released on Generative AI (GenAI) use in social services sector

Social Service Providers Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa (SSPA) has released its summary report, GenAI Survey of Social Services Providers: Summary (2026). The report provides a summary of SSPA’s findings from their survey of the sector’s use of GenAI tools, including which tools are most commonly used, how often they are used and for what tasks, and how confident respondents are that their use of GenAI tools are both safe and appropriate. The report also identifies key themes and next steps.

Annual report on Monitoring Places of Detention released

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission has released the 2024/2025 Annual report on Monitoring Places of Detention (2025). This report details the activities and findings of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). These activities include visits to and inspections of places of detention, including care and protection and youth justice facilities, prisons, police and court cells, mental health units and aged care facilities. For an overview, see the Human Rights Commission’s media release.

Information on contributing to New Zealand’s Human Rights Review

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission has provided information on how the public can contribute to the UN Human Rights Committee’s upcoming review of New Zealand’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This is an opportunity for individuals and organisations to inform an independent international assessment of how well Aotearoa is protecting civil and political rights. The link above contains information on the rights that will be examined, what happens during the review, and how to participate, including by written submission. The prospective deadline for written submissions is February 2027.

UN release disability inclusion training resource

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has released the Care and Support Systems for Community Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Training Package. This package aims to equip individuals and organisations to deliver online and in-person trainings that promote collaboration among those working to advance disability- and gender-responsive comprehensive care and support systems. The training has 3 modules:

• Module 1: Why are comprehensive care and support systems important?
• Module 2: Transforming non-rights-based care systems
• Module 3: Policy priorities for disability- and gender-responsive comprehensive care and support systems.