Priyanca Radhakrishnan. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The government has launched a suite of digital tools to combat family violence, including a 24/7 phone and online chat service, an assessment tool, and a service finder.
Associate Social Development Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Marama Davidson officially launched the tools this afternoon, a result of a $4 million spend from the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
A 24/7 phone and online chat service would be delivered by Whakarongorau Aotearoa, in partnership with the National Collective of Independent Womens Refuges and specialist domestic violence service provider Shine.
A website called Are You Okay, building on the It's Not Okay campaign, would focus on support for victims and survivors of family violence, including with a relationship assessment tool and a service finder tool.
Another website, In Your Hands, was also set up to help those who may have used violence access information and support to change their behaviour.
Radhakrishnan said the tools would help make support more accessible and modern.
"The development of all these tools has been done directly with the family violence sector to ensure we introduce tools that will best support our communities," she said.
"Any form of family violence is unacceptable, which makes the prevention of future violence and harm so important."
Davidson said it was a significant step forward for the national strategy to eliminate family and sexual violence, Te Aorerekura.
"By making it easier for people impacted by violence to reach out for support, we're on the right track to interrupt cycles of violence and support people and whānau to heal," she said.
