Study confirms family violence is common in New Zealand
National News Release 9:01am 26 November 2004
Police have welcomed the findings of Auckland University’s research ‘Violence against women in New Zealand: prevalence and health consequences, says Inspector Rob Veale, Violence Reduction Manager.
“The report concludes violence is a common experience in the lives of women, and women are more at risk of experiencing violence from their partners than from other perpetrators,” he says.
Mr Veale said the report released today highlights concerns not just for police but for all communities in New Zealand.
“The first step in reducing violence in homes begins with a change of mind. Domestic violence survives when there is silence — when people believe that it’s private and personal, that it’s not their business.”
Mr Veale says police have always been on the front line when it comes to dealing with family violence. Police have a pro-arrest approach to family violence whenever they find evidence of an offence. “We are continuing to improve our understanding and response to family violence. Police have a number of initiatives in place, including training and improved methods of gathering evidence and identifying risk indicators, which helps Police assess the safety of people who may have been affected by the violence they may have experienced or witnessed.
“Police are committed to reducing family violence and we need the community alongside us to make it happen,” says Mr Veale.
Ends
Rob Veale needs to pull his head out of the sand, and look at the realities of Domestic Violence, not just at one-sided studies. At present the Police have a dangerous “Jim Crow” attitude- not ‘always arrest the nigger’ but ‘always arrest the male’. If the police want to be taken seriously, and expect community respect, and to protect children, they need to enforce the law, not impose feminist ideologies. We expect a Police Force, not a Feminist Gestapo.
Comment by John — Fri 3rd December 2004 @ 5:17 pm