NZFVC Quick Reads: 11 July 2024

NZFVC Quick Reads: 11 July 2024

Welcome to our Quick Reads format. Each week we share selected news bites relevant to family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa. See all past NZFVC Quick reads.

Abuse in care inquiry report submitted and survivor service to remain open

The final report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care has been submitted to the Governor-General. The latest pānui from the Crown Response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry stated that the report will be made public when presented to Parliament on 24 July 2024. Though the Royal Commission has closed, the Survivor Experiences Service will remain open until the introduction of a new, independent redress system. This service provides a space for survivors of abuse in care, and the family and whānau of survivors, to have their experiences heard, validated, and acknowledged.

Exhibition to open displaying work from survivors of abuse in care

He Kura Toiora an exhibition of healing for survivors of abuse in care. It was created by Te Roopū Toiora, the national roopū for survivors of abuse in faith and state-based care. It features art, sculpture, poetry, music, dance, documentaries, and Tā moko, all by survivor artists. The exhibition will be open at Te Auaha Gallery, Wellington 2-4 August 2024.

New Australian research on use of strangulation during sex

The open-access article, Prevalence of Sexual Strangulation/Choking Among Australian 18–35 Year-Olds (2024), reports findings from a survey of more than 4000 18–35 years about their use or experience of strangulation, including issues of safety and consent. See a summary by the researchers The Conversation article More than half of Australian young people are using strangulation during sex: new research. In related news, Medical Sexual Assault Clinicians Aotearoa (MEDSAC) are organising the ‘Rough Sex’/'Choking'/Strangulation: A national, cross-sector symposium, taking place 29 November 2024 in Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington.

New documentary on Aotearoa pet refuge

The documentary, Refuge: A Duty to Care, explores the work of Pet Refuge, a refuge which offers shelter to the pets of family violence victims when seeking safety. The documentary is available to be streamed until the 31 July 2024 as part of the Doc Edge Festival 2024. For more information on the documentary, see the University of Auckland news article Shelter for pets escaping family violence: new doco. Learn more about Pet Refuge services on their website.

Cabinet paper on changes to Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy

The Ministry of Social Development has released a Cabinet Social Outcomes Committee (SOU) Minute of Decision on the Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy. It states “…that the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction (the Minister) intends to undertake targeted consultation on specific elements of an updated Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy in June and July 2024, and report-back to SOU in August 2024 to seek agreement to the updated strategy.”