"While Sarah was asleep, her husband Joe sent their four-year old child outside to get a tomahawk. When the child returned, Joe lined all the children up, then made them watch as he grabbed Sarah by the hair and hit her on the forehead with the tomahawk." - Shine client story (NZ)

This is just one of many, many stories of extreme violence in NZ families. The police are attending domestic abuse callouts, just like this, every 7 minutes.

The domestic abuse statistics are our national shame, and it's getting worse.

The statistics are overwhelming:

1 in 3 NZ women will be physically or sexually abused in their lifetime.

60 children are abused every day by a family member.

1 child dies at the hands of a family member every 5 weeks.

NZ has the fifth highest rate of child abuse in the OECD.

Enough is enough: it is time for action.

It has been all but impossible to get traction on solving New Zealand’s shameful problem of domestic violence and child abuse because every political party has its own ideas and strategies for addressing domestic abuse. These strategies change from government to government.

In the meantime NZ victims suffer every day.

New Zealand must lead the way in addressing child abuse and domestic violence among developed nations.



Incumbent government leaders must set an example of visionary leadership, setting in place effective strategies that achieve results beyond regime changes and the flurry of election seasons.

We need more than just election promises and short-lived solutions.

Stand with us for the victims of domestic violence and child abuse. Sign Shine’s petition for all political parties in New Zealand to work together to develop and agree upon a long term multi-agency (police, courts, CYF, health and education) strategic approach to end domestic abuse and child abuse.

The New Zealand Government is capable of drawing up 15, 20, 30-year investment programmes for national priorities such as transport and energy. Surely our Government can do the same long-term road-mapping to address our national shame of child abuse and domestic violence.

Join with many other Kiwi's committed to seeing an end to domestic abuse and sign our petition now.