Research,
Reports & Advocacy

2025: Submission on the Arms Act Rewrite

Victim Support’s submission to the Arms Act rewrite highlights the devastating impact of firearms violence on victims, whānau and communities. Drawing on our frontline experience supporting over 50,000 people last year, we urge decision-makers to prioritise safety and maintain strong gun laws.

2024: Submission on Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill

In this submission, Victim Support strongly opposes the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Te Tiriti must be upheld to address Māori victimisation, and find that the bill undermines Māori as tangata whenua and does not acknowledge equity.

2024: Submission on Improving Jury Trial Timelines

Victim Support advocates for reducing court delays as it can encourage crime reporting, protect victims and promote recovery. But we also caution against touting reduced court delays as a sole solution for victims - what's needed to increased support.

2024: Submission on Corrections (Victim Protection) Amendment Bill

Victim Support supports the intent of the Corrections (Victim Protection) Amendment Bill which creates an obligation on the Chief Executive and prison managers to protect victims of crime and those subject to a protection order from unwanted contact from prisoners/offenders. This has the potential for numerous benefits to victims, including helping them to feel safe, preventing revictimisation, reducing mental impact, providing autonomy and helping them move forward.

2024: Submission on Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill

Victim Support supports the intent of the Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill, which would enable victims and their support person(s) to observe/listen to all or part of a trial and sentencing via an audio-visual (AVL) or audio link. It has the potential to increase choice and participation for victims and improve their wellbeing, however care must be taken to ensure it works safely and effectively for victims.

2023: Submission on High Risk Offender Measures

In this submission, Victim Support advocates that victims as a vulnerable population have already suffered in numerous ways, and urges the committee to prioritise their safety.

2023: Submission on Family Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill

Victim Support supports the intention of the Family Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill, which seeks to strengthen the court’s statutory powers to protect victims of litigation abuse in family proceedings.

2023: Submission on Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill

Victim Support supports the Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill, which allows victims of family violence with a protection order to dissolve their marriage or civil union without a two-year waiting period for two key reasons: 1. The impacts of remaining associated with a family violence relationship 2. The necessity for victims to move forward with their lives.

2023: Submission on Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill

Victim Support supports the intent of the Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill and proposed legislative changes to the Crimes Act 1961 and Criminal Procedure Act 2011. However, Victim Support wishes to advocate for victims in two key areas regarding the legislative changes to the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, which require courts to consider victims' views about name suppression in sexual violence cases.

2022: Submission on the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Bill

Victim Support supports the strengthening of firearms legislation to reduce the risk of societal harm, particularly in family violence situations. However, we are concerned that this bill proposes removing breaches of Protection Orders as qualifying convictions for firearms prohibition orders and therefore misses a crucial opportunity to add another layer of protection to family violence victims.

2022: Submission on the Mental Health Act

This current submission is based on the premise that the rights victims of special patients have fought so hard to achieve must be consistent across all relevant legislation.

2022: Submission on the Covid-19 (Courts Safety) Legislation Bill

This bill aims to allow access to safe justice during the Covid-19 pandemic. Victim Support supports the general intent of this bill to enable safe access to justice during the Covid-19 pandemic, however, we strongly believe the bill needs refinement to be consistent with obligations under the Victims' Rights Act and Victims Code.

2021: Submission on the Rights for Victims of Insane Offenders Bill

Despite often experiencing the most serious offences and the crime being proven, victims of legally insane offenders are denied many of the most basic rights that victims could normally expect in our justice system. This includes the right to make a Victim Impact Statement, or any substantive rights to be informed or have their views heard about the release of the perpetrator. Our submission explains why better procedural justice matters for victims and calls for Parliament to support legislative reform that gives victims of insane offenders greater parity.

2021: Submission on Violence Free Aotearoa National Strategy

Our submission is informed by our work with the full spectrum of adult family violence clients, including many who slip through the cracks between other services, such as whānau affected by "low risk" family harm, male victims, and intra-familial violence (IFV) victims - those harmed by a family member who is not their intimate partner. We support the Violence Free Aotearoa National Strategy and the seven action points to prevent family and sexual violence.

2020: Submission on the death, funerals, burial and cremation legislation review

Our submission is informed by our work with this wide group of bereaved individuals and research on the needs of people bereaved by sudden death. We wish to advocate on behalf of these vulnerable New Zealanders in three key areas: Increasing transparency around funeral directors’ charges. Regulation of the funeral industry. Commitment to making legislation centred around the individual and cultural needs of the bereaved.

2019: Submission on the Arms Legislation Bill

Victim Support welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the Arms Legislation Bill to improve the safety and well-being of New Zealanders. We strongly support this legislation.

Key findings report: Experiences of victim blaming, and its impact on help-seeking, crime reporting and recovery

"You're a victim of a crime, but you are almost made to feel like the offender of the crime."

Listening, Learning, Growing: Key findings from the Victim Support client survey results 2021/22

Supporting victims of crime and trauma is our business. We’ve been doing it for over 35 years. From burglary to suicide, family harm to homicide, we’re there when Aotearoa New Zealanders need us. We are pleased to share the findings from our latest client survey. They tell a story of the fortitude and hope of our clients and those who support them, and of exciting possibilities as we continue to evolve.

Victims' Voices: The Justice Needs and Experiences of New Zealand Serious Crimes Victims

The key message from our 2019 research was that victims need to know that they genuinely matter in our justice system. The research found most victims lacked faith in the justice system and felt justice was not served in their case and highlighted the need for improvements to procedural justice to meet victims’ needs.