Today marks the launch of Te Aorerekura – the government’s National Strategy and Action Plan for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. The strategy was launched by The Honorable Marama Davidson – Green Party Co-leader and Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, together with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and the Joint Venture for Family Violence and Sexual Violence, of the Social Wellbeing Board.
We are so pleased to report that we have worked extensively on the rainbow content over the past year, and are fairly happy with the prioritisation of transgender and broader rainbow populations in the strategy and action plan. This is the first document of it’s kind to say the word ‘transmisogyny’, to reference the statistics on transgender populations, and to meaningfully acknowledge transgender people; having the words “people of all genders” in a document like this should not be a really big deal, but it definitely is.
“LGBTQIA+ communities: ‘We want an end to discrimination, stigma and exclusion.’
Discrimination and stigma are drivers of violence towards LGBTQIA+ people – at home, at school and in the community. Discrimination causes us psychological distress and stops us reaching out for help. When we do seek support, responses often take a binary-gendered and heteronormative view, meaning the violence can go unaddressed and harmful norms are further entrenched. Workforces need to be more competent when working with us and we need resourced, targeted specialist LGBTQIA+ services as well as family violence and sexual violence services that respond appropriately. Inclusive healthy relationship education is needed for all ages. We want to participate in every stage of service and policy development and decision-making.”
The wider strategy development included over 120 hui and over 1,000 submissions were received, with Maori, Pacific, and disabled populations also named as priority groups.
The rainbow mahi, including hosting hui around the country for rainbow and transgender people, was carried out collaboratively between government and the Rainbow Violence Prevention Network (RVPN).
The RVPN is a formal alliance of rainbow, sexual violence prevention, and family violence prevention organisations, which work together year round to stop violence against rainbow people. RVPN members include Gender Minorities Aotearoa, TOAH-NNEST, Tiwhanawhana, InsideOUT, Intersex Aotearoa, Te Ngakau Kahukura, Tommy Hamilton, RainbowYOUTH, Rainbow Support Collective, The Manalagi Project, Rainbow Path, Rape Prevention Education, RespectED Aotearoa, HELP Auckland, Wellington Rape Crisis, Shakti Youth, and Friendship House.
The Government’s National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence, and it’s Action Plan, are available online here.
LGBTQIA+ Analysis paper
You can also see a short video about our sexual and family violence prevention work and check out our resources on sexual violence prevention and family violence prevention below.