DOMESTIC ABUSE THE STATISTICS

Nearly half off all homicides are related to family violence.

New Zealand police respond to a family violence call-out every 4.5 minutes.

It is estimated that 76% of family violence incidents are not reported to the police.

On average, 14 women are killed every year at the hands of their partner or ex-partner.

THE SOPHIE ELLIOTT FOUNDATION

After Sophie’s murder in 2010, her mother Lesley founded The Sophie Elliott Foundation, which promotes violence prevention through education, awareness and empowerment. According to the foundation, the early signs of abuse in relationships are:

Power and control, e.g. telling you what to wear and who you can see.

Unreliable communication, e.g. making you feel insecure and confused by leaving you dangling.

Possessiveness, e.g. wanting to know where you are going and when you will be home.

Isolation, e.g. making it difficult for you to see family and friends.

Threats, e.g. name-calling or being threatening or abusive to you or your family.

Suicide threats, e.g. “if you leave me I will …”

Volatile behavior, e.g. nice one minute, nasty the next.

Sexually forceful, e.g. making you do things you don’t want to do.

Physically abusive, e.g. choking, pushing, hitting and punching.