These resources were compiled to support the government's engagement around the development of a National Strategy and Action Plans. The strategy, Te Aorerekura, was launched in December 2021. This page lists reports, research and other resources related to Pacific peoples and their experiences of family violence and sexual violence.
Click here to read the analysis paper summarising engagement with Pacific peoples
Click here to go to our other national strategy engagement pages
NZFVC Issues Paper 16, Pacific perspectives on family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand (2020) by Fuafiva Fa'alau and Sharyn Wilson highlights the need to accommodate Pacific worldviews in order to deliver meaning and information around violence into policies, funding allocation, and strategies developed by the government. The paper finds that ‘mainstream’ family violence initiatives and programmes are not usually effective for Pacific peoples given the differences between common Pacific perceptions and meanings around issues of violence.
Pasefika Proud pathways to change (2019 - 2023) has been developed in partnership with Pacific communities in New Zealand. It supports ethnic-specific leadership and action and acknowledges that Pacific cultures (including faith) are strengths that can maintain and restore wellbeing to children and their families and prevent violence.
Launched in 2012, Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu (Nga Vaka) is a cultural framework for addressing family violence in Pacific communities in New Zealand. It is community developed, community owned and community mandated, providing an overarching conceptual framework and seven ethnic-specific cultural frameworks (Cook Islands, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tokelauan, Tongan and Tuvaluan) to prevent and address family violence in New Zealand. An eighth framework, Boutokaan te mweeraoi – A Conceptual Framework for enhancing I-Kiribati Wellbeing was launched in 2015.
An updated Tuvalu family violence prevention plan, Te Olaga Ola Filemu - A life embarked with peace and wellbeing (2019), was developed in collaboration with Tuvalu communities across New Zealand. It integrates the unique Tuvalu culture and values in framing approaches to prevent the occurrence and reoccurrence of violence in Tuvalu families and communities, with the emphasis being more on prevention than intervention strategies.
An identified lack of data regarding family violence and Pacific communities has resulted in the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Pacific community representatives and researchers working together to improve information and evidence about Pacific family violence. MSD provided research funding for the completion of a number of research reports focusing on family violence and Pacific communities.
Working with Pacific survivors of sexual violence (2016) is part of a larger, more comprehensive project undertaken by TOAH-NNEST (Te Ohaakii a Hine-National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together) looking at good practice in response to sexual violence across a number of population groups. This report aims to establish what is ‘good practice’ for mainstream crisis support services when working with Pacific survivors of sexual violence.
Search the NZFVC library for more information on Pasifika (Pacific peoples in Aotearoa)