Christchurch project ReachOut expands services

The North Canterbury ReachOut project featured on Marae Investigates on 12 May 2013.  The project, a collaborative effort with Christchurch Police and Aviva Family Violence Services (formerly Christchurch Women's Refuge) is an outreach service for men who have committed, or were considered likely to commit, family violence.  ReachOut Family Violence Consultant, Daryl Gregory, said we must help perpetrators because "men deserve to be treated with respect" and "if we don't, nothing will change". 

Using the Police notification system, a ReachOut Family Support Worker will contact the perpetrator of a family violence incident with 48 hours. Men are also referred from other agencies, and can seek direct help through the 0800 ReachOut (0800 7322 4688) telephone helpline.  

The Ministry of Social Development funded pilot project which began in April 2012, recently secured funding for another three years to expand Christchurch-wide by July 2013, with the potential to expand to Timaru and Northland.

For more information visit the Aviva Family Violence Services website.

Media:

Canterbury scoops national police prize, Press Release: NZ Police, 13.05.2016

Marae Investigates, 12 May 2013

Image: Reaching hand by kibkib

Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License