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Is Your Family Ok This Christmas?

Is Your Family Ok This Christmas?


The festive hype routinely conceals a seasonal spike in family violence.

For many people Christmas is a time for gift giving and eating until you fall asleep on your Grandparent’s sofa. Unfortunately, in New Zealand, many families do not experience Christmas this way.

Each year Police and local refuges see a spike in family violence.

“Every year this period is a high risk time for family violence; typically refuges see about a 20% increase in crisis calls. It’s important we all remember that while Christmas is a happy time it can also be a time of great stress for families” Lois Herbert, Manager at Battered Women’s Trust and Spokesperson for the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration.

In New Zealand half of all murders are the result of family violence. Often people do see danger signs but don’t realise how serious they are.

One thing we can all do is know the signs that someone is in danger of being hurt and take steps to keep them safe.

Inspector Ross Lienert, Canterbury Police’s Family Violence Manager has some tips of things to watch out for this year:

• “In the lead up to the festive season pressure on families, individuals and relationships typically increase due to such things as the higher prevalence of alcohol and financial pressures.”

• “This is often coupled with a person’s belief that they have the ability to control someone close to them, particularly their partner and/or their children. In many cases this may manifest itself in subtle ways such as jealousy and possessiveness which is not as obvious as the use of verbal threats and the use of force. However, this behaviour can be a sign that a victim(s) may be living in fear.”

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• “Other more obvious forms of family violence are the use of force, strangulation and threats to someone’s life.”

• “Just as behaviours of those involved in family violence episodes are not always obvious the same can be said for the impacts. So don’t always expect bruises and black eyes to be an indication of family violence occurring. What you may also see is someone who is upset for no particular reason, is nervous around their partner or their general demeanour is different to normal.”

“If you observe anyone behaving in any of these ways please challenge them on their behaviour, be a friend and offer support” says Inspector Ross Lienert.

Lois Herbert agrees, “Because people are out of their normal routine it can increase stress. All members of the family need to take responsibility for each other. I urge people to make a call if they are concerned.”

If you are concerned about yourself or one of your family or friends It’s Not Ok recommends that you:

• Always call the Police on 111 in an emergency or if you believe someone is in danger

• Challenge the behavior – but never put your own or others’ safety at risk

• Offer to support the victim and find out what they need

• Call the It’s not OK information line on 0800 456 450 for advice

• Call Women’s Refuge Crisis line: 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 or Aviva: 0800 28482 669

ends

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