Independent Family Violence Victim Advocate Roles Stopped

Social Development Minster Paula Bennett has confirmed that that the funding allocated for the implementation of Independent Family Violence Victim Advocates has been stopped, and the money diverted into other programmes.

The positions were proposed by the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families, after identifying that international research and key stakeholder consultation supported the advocacy in courts for victims of family violence. It was originally announced that the advocate positions would be rolled out in the six family violence courts, starting 2008-2009.