Family violence statistics

In New Zealand, it is estimated that only 33% of family violence cases are reported. (1)

On average, police attend a family violence episode every four minutes. (1)

67% of family violence episodes still remain unreported.(1)

Nearly half of all homicides and reported violent crimes are related to family violence. (2)

Family violence events have increased 60% over the past five years and are predicted to increase by a further 35% by 2025. (3)

In 2020 and 2021, there were 155,338 family harm incidences which accounted for 16% of all police frontline activity. (1)

Children are present at nearly two-thirds of all family violence incidents police respond to. If this increase continues police anticipate their response to time will almost half – from four minutes to two and a half minutes by 2025. (1)

Below is a breakdown of family violence statistics based on gender, age, ethnicity, disability and employment.

Gender

Research suggests that one in three (33%) of New Zealand women have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. ⁽⁴⁾

When psychological abuse is added (where economic harm sits), it increases to one in two (55%). ⁽⁴⁾

One in eight men reported being victims of family violence. ⁽⁵⁾

Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults experience intimate partner physical and sexual violence more than twice as often as other New Zealanders. ⁽⁶⁾

Age

Compared with other New Zealanders, adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 have the highest rates of intimate partner violence.⁽⁷⁾

One in three (29%) young people reported being hit or harmed by a partner and up to 60% of high school students are recorded as having been in an emotionally or physically abusive relationship. ⁽⁷⁾

21% per cent of women who stayed in the refuge were also under 20 (15- 19 years). ⁽⁸⁾

One in ten elderly experience family violence and 70% of those who experience harm are women. ⁽⁹⁾

Evidence suggests that psychological abuse is the most common form of elder abuse and financial abuse is next most frequent, accounting for more than 50% of the recorded incidences. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Ethnicity

Research suggests that some groups are at higher risks than others of experiencing family violence.

Physical and sexual IPV affects one in two (58%) of Māori women over a lifetime. When other forms of violence are included, this could be as high as 80%. ⁽¹¹⁾

Physical and sexual IPV affects one in three (34%) of European women over a lifetime and one in three (32%) of Pacific women. ⁽¹²⁾

Asian women report a lower lifetime prevalence of one in ten (11.5%), but advocates believe there are lower rates of reporting in Asian Communities. ⁽⁴⁾

Disability 

Disabled people experience higher rates of both partner violence and non-partner violence. ⁽¹³⁾

Employment

Family violence costs NZ employers at least $368 million annually. ⁽¹⁴⁾

Of women who experienced family violence over the period of a year, 19% indicated that the abuse continued at work. ⁽¹⁵⁾