Press Release: Stopping Violence Dunedin

29th February 2012

New Operations Manager Appointed to Stopping Violence Dunedin Inc.

Stopping Violence Dunedin Inc (SVD) is delighted to announce that Paul Martin has been appointed as Operations Manager.

Brett Gray, Chairperson of the Stopping Violence Dunedin Board, says the Operations Manager role is a new position for the organisation. “The appointment of a dedicated Operations Manager is a new and exciting step for SVD, and signals our ongoing commitment to make a difference for all people that are effected by family violence in Otago”.

Paul has come from an extensive background in the not for profit social support sector, but the agency work on Stopping Violence is a new beginning for him. “Im really excited to be part of the work that Stopping Violence Dunedin does”, Paul says. “I’m looking forward to working alongside such an experienced team and to be part of the development of new initiatives to reduce Family Violence and damaging conflict in other contexts in our region.”

Stopping Violence Dunedin looks forward to develop further its existing collaborative opportunities with other agencies in the sector and forming new strategic collaborations locally and nationally.

Background
New Zealand has a significant issue with family violence, with some surveys indicating that almost a quarter (24%) of the females surveyed with current partners and almost three-quarters (73%) of the females with recent partners reported experiencing at least one incident of physical or sexual violence at the hands of their partner.

Family violence occurs between family members in families of all cultures, classes, backgrounds and socioeconomic circumstances. However the predominant pattern is one of male violence directed at a female partner, and there is significant co-existence of intimate partner violence and child abuse and neglect. We also know that male perpetrators are more likely to seriously injure and even kill the women and children they are violent towards.(Ministry of Social Development).In the 2009/10 year in New Zealand there were 3,867 domestic violence cases in the Family Court which each involved at least one child.

National websites:

National Network of Stopping Violence: http://www.nnsvs.org.nz/
The Campaign for Action on Family Violence: http://www.areyouok.org.nz/

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