Family violence and sexual violence are unacceptable. Aotearoa New Zealand has some of the highest reported rates in the developed world, with far-reaching impacts on individuals, whānau, and communities.
In response, the Government established a cross-agency Joint Venture in 2018 to deliver a more coordinated and effective whole-of-government approach. In 2021, the Joint Venture released Te Aorerekura – the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence(external link). Te Aorerekura sets out a long-term collective pathway for government, specialist services and communities to work together to eliminate violence in Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Aorerekura is a 25-year national strategy, recognising that sustained and coordinated effort is needed to address the underlying drivers of violence and create lasting change. it is grounded in a shared vision that everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand is safe, supported, and able to thrive free from family violence and sexual violence.
Under the Te Aorerekura Action Plan 2025-2030, the Ministry is leading several initiatives to strengthen safety and support for victims of family violence:
Expanding access to safety programmes in the criminal court. Safety programmes provide vital support for victims of family violence. Expanding access to victims of family violence offences at several criminal court locations creates a new pathway for victims to receive comprehensive safety support and connection to wider services.
Implementing legislative change to introduce stalking as a new offence. The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act 2025 (external link)came into force on 26 May 2025, introducing a new stalking and harassment offence and amending related Acts to better support victims/survivors, strengthen criminal justice responses and enhance offender accountability.
Exploring the referral of Protection Orders to Multi-Agency Responses. The Ministry is assessing the feasibility of a pilot to connect people with Protection Orders to coordinated, wraparound support through multi-agency responses, improving their experience. These responses bring together agencies, organisations and iwi to strengthen safety planning and reduce ongoing risk.
About the cross-government joint venture
The Joint Venture was established as an Interdepartmental Executive Board (IEB) under the Public Service Act 2020 to clarify system roles, strengthen shared accountability, and improve coordination across government agencies.
In 2025, it adopted a new name - the Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention (the Centre) - to better reflect its role in aligning strategy, policy, and investment across agencies. The Centre brings together nine core government agencies with direct responsibility for preventing and eliminating family violence and sexual violence.
The IEB is chaired by Andrew Kibblewhite, Secretary of Justice, who actively contributes to cross-government work programmes that give effect to Te Aorerekura.
As part of our work on the Te Aorerekura Action Plan, the Ministry is actively contributing to cross-agency initiatives that strengthen a coordinated, whole-of-system approach to eliminating family violence and sexual violence.
This includes reviewing interventions to stop violence, supporting more coordinated investment planning, building a consistent and capable workforce, embedding shared approaches to risk and safety, and enhancing how agencies work together to support child victims of sexual violence.