Vine Quick Reads: 27 March 2026

Vine Quick Reads: 27 March 2026

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

This week we continue our new ‘Spotlight On’ feature. Each week for the next few months the Spotlight will shine on a different area of our website. We hope you will take a moment to learn more about the resources available through our mahi at Vine.

Consultation open on Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) Years 0-10

Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | the Ministry of Education is seeking feedback on the draft National Curriculum for Years 0-10. The consultation covers all subjects, including RSE as part of the Health and Physical Education. Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Women’s Centre have put together an RSE submission guide to support feedback. The consultation closes Friday, 24 April 2026.

Greater protections for people giving evidence in Family Court now in effect

The Evidence (Giving Family Violence Evidence in Family Court Proceedings) Amendment Act 2025 established greater protections for witnesses giving evidence of family violence in Family Court Proceedings. Family violence victims/witnesses can choose to give evidence in different ways, including but not limited to:

• from behind a screen in a courtroom
• in a witness room inside the court building by closed circuit TV
• by audio visual link from another location

Written notice must be given at least 28 days prior to the proceedings. The entitlement applies to proceedings started on or after 26 February 2026. See the full Act here.

New resource on the manosphere and its impacts

ANROWS have released a new resource for educators in partnership with Monash University: An Introductory Guide to the Manosphere and the Impacts for Young People, Teachers and Schools (2026). The guide aims to help educators understand and respond to the growing influence of manosphere content in young people’s online worlds.

New research on gendered violence and disengagement from online incel communities

The Australian Institute of Criminology has published Disengagement from online misogynistic incel communities and its implications for attitudes to gendered violence (2026). Researchers surveyed former incels, exploring their motivations and strategies for leaving and any subsequent changes to misogynistic attitudes. For more, see RNZ: Men can get out of the manosphere - former incels on why they left.

Submissions open on Employment Leave Bill

The Education and Workforce Committee are inviting submissions on the Employment Leave Bill, which would replace the Holidays Act 2003. For an overview of the proposed changes to leave and holiday entitlements, see MBIE’s snapshot document. Family violence leave is also affected. Submission close 14 April 2026.

Cycle 8 resources and results from the New Zealand Crime and Victims (NZCVS) released

Te Tāhū o te Ture | Ministry of Justice has released the key results for Cycle 8 of the NZCVS (2026). It uses data gathered from the NZCVS between October 2024 and October 2025 to examine trends in experiences of crime for key demographic groups and offence types. See the Ministry of Justice’s media release for an overview of the findings. See also RNZ’s coverage.