Intimate Partner Violence in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This chapter discusses the responses to intimate partner violence of two Australasian countries, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. While these countries have close links to one another, the chapter highlights some key differences in how information about violence is collected, the history of service delivery in each country, and the policy context that underpins contemporary practice. At the same time, we argue that government responses in both countries have not provided the level of resourcing required to address the level of need and the specific challenges that arise when trying to equip a workforce to prevent intimate partner violence, to respond appropriately to diversity, and to establish the effectiveness of different policies and programs. We argue that addressing these challenges will be essential if integrated prevention programs are to be developed that can adequately respond to the complexity of the issue.