Karen Chhour says the government is working on the family and sexual violence action plan, focusing on protecting children and young people. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Family violence prevention experts say it is incredibly concerning that two children have died this year and more needs to be done to prevent such tragedies.
It has been a grim January so far, with two children dead and two men in custody facing murder charges in separate cases in Hamilton and Auckland.
Meanwhile, a Northland baby is being treated for serious head injuries and police are investigating the matter.
Child Matters chief executive Jane Searle said it was a terrible start to the year.
"It's incredibly tragic and we have to understand that every time we lose a child like this it means the systems aren't working and that we've failed those children," she said.
"It's also important to remember that this is not as unusual as people may think. This problem is a much bigger problem than people think."
In January 2022 a baby and toddler died and another baby was critically injured, she said.
Frontline social services and charities were under pressure from increasing demand and needed to be well-funded, Searle said.
"The stressors faced by these frontline organisations and the number of cases and the seriousness of the cases that they're dealing with is going up and there's many things that contribute to that," she said.
"We have to have a really coordinated response, and a bi-partisan response that goes over many years. What we do have with our three year terms in New Zealand, we have a lot of swings in direction, swings in policy and it's incredibly unhelpful."
The family violence service Shine said it was responding to a surge in demand from people seeking help this summer.
Presbyterian Support Northern oversees Shine, and its social services general manager Grenville Hendricks said calls to its helpline and referrals had risen by a quarter.
That came on already high demand, with increasingly complex family violence cases, he said.
"Family violence and sexual violence rates in New Zealand are extremely high and this causes severe harm to families throughout New Zealand," he said.
"We need to recognise how risky family violence is for victims. If people say they fear for their lives, they need to be heard and taken seriously."
Hendricks said there had also been a growing number of serious assaults with weapons including knives and machetes, and strangulations that resulted in hospitalisation.
There were more than 10,000 calls to the Shine Helpline in the past year.
Hendricks said support organisations and government agencies needed to work together to prevent family violence.
"To help eliminate family violence, we need a coordinated community response with a range of support organisations and government agencies working together.
"Specialist education and training enables people to provide a safe and effective response to both people experiencing and those using family violence.
Get help, minister advises
Meanwhile, the Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, said the death of a child was heartbreaking and she encouraged people to report family violence.
"The death of a child is utterly heartbreaking. My heart aches for all children that are taken too early and the future they will never get to experience," she said.
"It has been extremely saddening and disappointing to see this already happening so early into this new year. It joins the many other instances of family and sexual violence around the country that often go unseen or unspoken about, and it shows that as a country we still have work to do."
Chhour encouraged people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who were in need.
"I am urging people to use the resources available to them so that they can get help to stop family and sexual violence. In many cases we know something is happening but do not act, and that is a something I am advocating for change in," she said.
"I want that this year, people will take action, and reach out to get help. Resources are there for people in danger, and resources are there for people who need help to rehabilitate. Help is there for victims, help is there for perpetrators."
Chhour said the government was working on the family and sexual violence action plan, which focused on protecting children and young people and breaking inter-generational cycles of violence in families.
"The government is currently doing work to improve this, and I am asking this year, and heading into the future, that people work together - with each other and with relevant agencies, to take action so that we can help protect each other," she said.
"Our shift as a country to taking active steps will help to protect Kiwis and save lives.
"There are many reasons why we may be reluctant to take action. I am encouraging people to take the step. I know that we can do more for ourselves and our loved ones, and while it is not easy, help is there, and it is waiting."
Where to get help:
Women's Refuge:(0800 733 843
It's Not OK 0800 456 450
Shine: 0508 744 633
Victim Support: 0800 842 846
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu
The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.
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