Homicide Assistance Group Supports Family Violence Report

The Red Raincoat Trust congratulates the Family Violence Death Review Committee for their report into family violence including how agencies monitor and response to it. “The fact that an organisation like ours exists is proof that there is a need for agencies to improve how they are reaching victims” says Debbie Marlow, spokesperson for the Red Raincoat Trust. “We are assisting families who either cannot access or are having trouble accessing services, so although the services are provided they aren’t being reached. It is incredibly sad for some of the families we help as they don’t know where else to turn.”

The Family Violence Death Review Committee’s Fourth Annual Report was released today and included eight recommendations for improving how agencies should monitor and respond to family violence in New Zealand. Statistics include 37 children murdered over from 2009 to 2012 and 47 per cent of all homicides were family violence or family violence related deaths.

Red Raincoat Trust is a non-government funded organisation whom assists and supports families of homicide victims. Their volunteer Victim Advisors work with and adapt to a homicide families changing needs throughout the judicial process and beyond. Red Raincoat also offers a support network of families from similar circumstances.

“We would like to see the Committee’s recommendations implemented and monitored to ensure the changes required are effectively implemented. This is the second report (Owen Glenn’s inquiry) released recently which calls for changes to our system to ensure our families are being kept safe. Even one less death due to family violence is one less family and community who are spared the far reaching effects of homicide”.

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