NZFVC Weekly Quick Reads: 16 November 2023

Quick Reads: 16 November 2023

Welcome to our new Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa. This is a new format and we welcome your feedback. Let us know what you think at info@nzfvc.org.nz. See all past NZFVC Quick reads.

New fund for ethnic communities prevention activities

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has launched the Ethnic Communities Innovation Fund to promote the safety and wellbeing of ethnic people by supporting community-driven initiatives for preventing family and sexual violence. The fund is open to all ethnic groups across Aotearoa New Zealand for the prevention of family and sexual violence. Organisations can apply for up to $45,000 for a 12 month period. Applications are due by 9 December 2023. See more information about MSD's Ethnic Communities Violence Prevention programme including the updated ‘Our Culture, Our Pride: No Excuse for Abuse’ – Ethnic communities family violence booklet.

New report on youth experiences of sexual violence

Let's Talk Consent NZ has published the report, Youth Experiences of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa (2023), in collaboration with YWCA Auckland, HELP Auckland and Women’s Refuge. The report summarises themes and findings from 300 testimonies of young people's experiences of sexual violence and their perspectives on consent lessons taught in school. The report makes recommendations with a focus on 2 areas: improving school responses to disclosures and promoting consent culture. See the media articles for more information and interviews with the report's author, Genna Hawkins-Boulton: Schools struggling to deal with sexual violence (RNZ), Young victims of sexual violence speak of lack of support in schools (The Post) and watch an interview from Te Ao Māori News (at 24 minutes).

New report highlights issue for schools

In the report, Secondary principals’ perspectives from NZCER's 2022 National Survey of Schools (2023), principals identified "Providing support for vulnerable students (e.g., wellbeing or mental health needs)" as the top issue facing schools. Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa | New Zealand Council for Educational Research runs the national survey every 3 years. RNZ reported that Sarah Maindonald, President of the Association of Counsellors, responded to the report highlighting that school counsellors are struggling to keep up with demand.

Review highlights Linda Tuhiwai Smith's Whatumanawa Collection as important tool

In her Spinoff review of Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Whatumanawa Collection, Rangimarie Sophie Jolley writes "These are not bedtime stories about fairies and dragons – these are tools, tailor-made resources designed to support complex conversations amongst whānau." Linda Tuhiwai Smith published a series of illustrated books for tamariki. The books explore a range of issues to help tamariki understand and process trauma. The books cover domestic violence, child abuse, suicide of a sibling, death of a baby and a mother’s long term illness. 

New UN report on the impact of counter-terrorism on civil society

A report has been published from the Global Study on counter-terrorism and civic space by Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights. The Special Rapporteur integrated a critical feminist analysis in her approach to the report, Global Study on the Impact of Counter-Terrorism on Civil Society and Civic Space (2023). The report notes that the Special Rapporteur adopted "...a broad understanding of gender as it manifests and functions in society" and "...the Global Study analyzes the specific ways that counter-terrorism measures target women, men, girls, and boys and is experienced first-hand by gender minorities."