Free from abuse

Every day in Auckland, New Zealand, women seek a new life free from violence and abuse. They have a vision of change for themselves and their children. This research project grew out of initiatives in the area of domestic violence already undertaken by Public Health Promotion and by the growing body of local and international research. The project was also inspired by the stories Public Health Promotion workers were hearing from abused women and agencies which were assisting them with the difficulties they encountered as they sought to stop violence in their homes or separate from abusive partners.

Forty-five women in Auckland were interviewed several times about their experiences in order to identify the factors that helped or hindered them as they took action to stop abuse. The experiences of these women are the heart of the report and determined its direction.

The report is presented in three streams: Maori, General and Pacific Peoples. The special position of Maori as treaty partners in Aotearoa New Zealand was acknowledged throughout the planning, data collection processes, analysis and presentation of research findings. The Maori research included consultations with individuals and groups as well as individual interviews with women. These findings are presented visually in a poster in a separate chapter within the report and are referred to throughout the longer general report.

Information was gathered systematically over the three years 1997-2000 in order to design and support action on the issue of violence against women. The scale of the problem and the significance of this issue for the social, cultural and spiritual life of New Zealanders are increasingly recognised. The voices of the women were prioritised. Achievement of their aspirations and the aspirations of women like them for a peaceful life will contribute to family life and a peaceful society.

The stories show the entrapping process by which women became caught in webs of control and danger by abusive men. Rather than conceptualising women being trapped in a cycle of abuse, the authors used the notion of a spiral/orbital dynamic to represent women’s processes for moving out and away from abusive men. Separation did not eliminate the danger of physical violence or continuing harassment and emotional abuse.

The notion that women can and should simply leave ignores this reality and the fact that physical separation is usually the culmination of a distancing process through which women gradually leave abusive men, hoping for change in the relationship, and then emotionally separate over months or years afterwards.

The first people women talked to about abuse were those who were close to them – their mum or dad, sister and others in their family, and their community networks, such as friends and work mates. The first efforts by women to communicate about being abused were usually to relatives and friends. The responses of these people had the effect of leading women to seek further assistance or of keeping them trapped in further abuse. Women needed to be believed and affirmed and described the disbelief, blame and lack of understanding of their attempts to resist and change an abuser as "painful" experiences.

Financial considerations played a key part in decision making and in the quality of life of women and their children after they had separated. The relative poverty of women, combined with their desire to support their children, exacerbated their stress. Practical issues such as the need to secure housing, transport and income, and to access medical care and counselling were paramount for most of the women in the study. An important feature of the way women were isolated and power was exerted by partners was control of all household finances, denial of independent access to family money or even to the women’s own wages, and blame of the women if money was lacking. This feature continued after separation through deliberate strategies by partners to deny the women financial rights. Some women also regarded the organisational practices of WINZ as those of "a new master", through its excessive intrusiveness into their lives and demeaning exertion of discretionary powers.

Refuges provided safety and assisted women to re-establish social connection. Support groups were a place for sharing and developing understandings about the dynamics of abuse and ways to be free from abuse. Police were often the first point of contact and played an important role in providing safety and information. Doctors, nurses and other health workers were also vital in the system of recognition and assistance.

However, lack of recognition of abuse, silence or the minimising and tacit acceptance of abuse resulted in lack of help for the woman and in interventions by police, health professionals, WINZ and other institutions that were inappropriate and ineffective and in some instances increased the women’s danger.

As some women moved into the public sphere seeking help, they encountered attitudes and procedures they regarded as demeaning and exclusionary. For some, the belief that "it’s a man’s world" was reinforced as they received little assistance, support or understanding and believed that they, though victims of abuse, were subjected by the procedures of the courts and WINZ to sanctions more negative than those suffered by the perpetrators of the abuse. Women wanted better co-ordination among services and changes in procedures and believed that improved training and education of service providers was essential.

The experiences of the women in the study showed the necessity of improved public understanding of abuse and formal training for providers of services to women who have been abused. Poor procedures and lack of co-ordination among services result in women feeling excluded and experiencing a lack of justice and also may significantly increase their danger.

Even in the midst of continuing difficulties, women who left abusers described a profound sense of release. At best, they described new happiness and energy. Connection to a supportive network and community assistance appeared to be vital to the recovery of their children and themselves. The results of the Maori research showed the need for cultural connection and the potential of whakapapa as a source of personal and cultural strength. The high value placed on community support and the maintenance of cultural links was also reported in the Pacific research. Abuse breaks these links and processes of recognition, restitution and reconnection are needed to stop abuse and assist recovery.

The extent to which the recovery of individual women and the prevention of abuse against women in general is dependent on the participation by women in their communities and in wider social life is an important area for future research.

The recovery of societies and cultures deformed by pervasive violence and abuse may run parallel with the freeing of women from abuse and the peaceful societies they help create.

The experience of every woman who participated in this research showed courage and resourcefulness. Interventions to assist them are described, as well as recommendations directed at the culture of violence and the status of women in general. Some of these recommendations are intended to assist women such as those who participated in the study, who were leaving abusers and seeking a better life, and have consequences for women in similar positions, for example women who are single parents or who are in the process of separation or divorce. The research has also found that deep cultural and structural issues, particularly those implicated in the subordination of women, are at the root of many difficulties and so has indicated necessary changes in law, the labour market and social institutions. Changes in these areas impact on the lives of all women and recommendations are addressed to Government as chiefly responsible for public policy. While women have the responsibility to take action for themselves for their own safety and that of their children, this requires and is possible only in a context of social responsibility. Therefore we have advocated for a community and whole-government approach to eliminating all forms of violence and abuse of women in particular.

A consistent and sustained campaign of debate, action and change in our society is needed to eliminate violence and to make restitution. This requires commitment, leadership and resources.

Key recommendations to this end are addressed to the Government of New Zealand, to the Ministers for Social Services and Employment; Broadcasting; Immigration and Research, Science and Technology; the Director-General of Health; the Chief Executives of the Ministry of Social Development, the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, Work and Income New Zealand, Ministry of Education, Department for Courts and the Accident Compensation Corporation; Te Puni Kokiri and the Human Rights Commission and the Commissioner of Police.

The Government, NGOs (non-government organisations), community organisations, service providers and people in general can work together to free the energies of women. Women can then participate fully in family and community life and contribute to social, economic, cultural and spiritual advances.

Useful links.