23rd of April, 2020
Over the past four weeks of lockdown, Aviva has seen a 34% increase in family violence referrals to our support line.
Averaged out across New Zealand, that’s an additional 2800 affected families last month. And we know reporting does not recognise the full scope.
Read a story about Aviva helping a family escape violence in lockdown here.
WHAT ABOUT INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE?
While we have seen an increase in family violence, we initially saw no increase in calls to our Sexual Assault Support Service Canterbury (SASSC) 24/7 hotline. For those experiencing sexual violence in their homes, especially for children, there has likely been an increase in violence that the reports do not accurately reflect.
It was noted within our service after the earthquakes and Mosque shootings that throughout the immediate time following, reporting seemed to decline for a period. However, as people began to return to ‘normal life,’ the reports began to rise significantly. A month into lockdown, we are beginning to see a slight increase in cases that could reflect a similar situation.
HOW IS AVIVA RESPONDING?
We have moved our team to working remotely, but we remain available to any and all 24/7 with practical assistance and support. Our priority is to keep people safe – from family and sexual violence as well as COVID-19.
Our 24/7 support line remains our first point of contact for most, with enquiries via our website. Although all our services are still fully functional, face to face services are extremely limited, and are being undertaken very differently. We are offering clients some creative ways to continue to feel supported, using a variety of audio/visual platforms to engage in face to safe sessions for individual or group programmes.
Unfortunately, many of our clients deal with additional interrelated issues such as mental health, addiction, or poverty. With no open doors to easily walk in, lockdown has limited their access to support. Many clients struggle with phone or internet access while services struggle to meet rising demand. These pose barriers to actively and swiftly supporting people. The pressure within some homes will continue to rise and risks will rise for people.
Read more about how staff are supporting clients here.
HOW CAN I HELP?
Aviva is expecting a loss in donations of up to 30% this year, due to the cancellation of major fundraising events over the coming months. We are holding an Emergency Appeal to fill that gap. Thanks to the kind generosity of our supporters, we are already halfway to our $70,000 goal, but we still have a long way to go. Please help by making a contribution at emergency.avivafamilies.org.nz.
If you or someone you know needs support, please call 0800 AVIVA NOW (0800 28482 669).