What do young people need to overcome sexual violence?

According to the Ministry of Justice, 16- to 24-year-olds are four times more likely to experience sexual assault. In 63% of sexual violence cases reported to the police, the victim was under the age of 17. Yet, across Aotearoa, the availability of youth focused sexual harm services remains limited. Why is this and how can we do better?

Walking Alongside Her Clients at the Most Pivotal Moment of Their Lives

Since the start of the pandemic, Aviva has had to operate a near-constant waitlist to manage increased demand. Chelsea is the person making sure they still get the support they need.
“The people I’m working with are people whose immediate safety is at risk, and they come to me because getting out of abusive relationships is hard. It can be dangerous, and it can be very lonely."

Anna Smiles Again

Anna's journey with Aviva began many years ago when Aviva was still known as Christchurch Women's Refuge. She took part in the first adult education group Aviva ever ran. After that, “life was great for a long time,” until her oldest son began to repeat behaviors he'd learnt from his father as a child.

Sandra Fights Back Against Financial Control

“Sometimes I’d feel like I didn’t belong in the setting because my husband wasn’t physically violent. But then there was the sick realisation of sitting in the room and realising ‘I do belong here.’ It was incredibly confronting, but incredibly beneficial, because you can’t process and get resolution on things that you haven’t recognised for what they are.”

Monica Breaks The Cycle Of Violence

After a childhood full of violence, by her early 20's, Monica found herself angry, homeless and in a violent relationship. She wanted a change, so she contacted Aviva.

It’s time to talk about image-based sexual abuse.

You may never have heard of it, but as many as five percent of New Zealanders are all too familiar with the harm caused by image-based sexual abuse.
Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is defined as the non-consensual sharing of private sexual materials, or threat of doing so.