Initial Research / Stats

I collected research and statistics about some of the most urgent issues going on in our society, to formulate an educated stance on topics such as domestic violence, alcoholism, suicide, poverty etc. I put the most interesting points in bold.

Any money put toward reducing these issues, or offering more support for them would positively affect or save New Zealand lives and be money well spent, so it makes you really wonder how a government could so nonchalantly pour millions down the drain on an unnecessary flag change.

Statistics on domestic violence in NZ:

• One in three women experience psychological or physical abuse from their partners in their lifetime.
• On average, 14 women, six men and 10 children are killed by a member of their family ever year.
• Police are called to around 200 domestic violence situations a day - that's one every seven minutes on average.
• Police estimate only 18% of domestic violence incidents are reported.
• At least 74,785 children and young people aged under 17 were present at domestic violence situations attended by police.
• 84% of those arrested for domestic violence are men; 16% are women.
• The economic cost of domestic violence was estimated at $1.2 to $5.8 billion per year by economist Suzanne Snively in 1996. In today's figures, that would be up to $8 billion.
• In 2009/10 year there were 3,867 domestic violence cases in the Family Court which each involved at least one child.

(mostly taken from womansrefuge.org.nz)

Stats on alcohol abuse/alcohol related incidents in nz:

• At least a third of all police recorded offences are committed by an offender who has consumed alcohol prior to committing the offence.

On an average day:

• 52 individuals or groups of people are either driven home or detained in police custody due to their state of intoxication

• 340 offences occur where police note alcohol is involved in the offending, including:

• 30 breach of liquor ban offences

• 100 drink drive offences

• 8,764 breath tests are undertaken

• 40 licensed premises are visited by police to monitor compliance with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Stats on Poverty in NZ:

• There is poverty amidst prosperity: There are around 622,000 people in poverty in this country or one in seven households, including around 230,000 children.
  
• Some groups are more likely than others to be in poverty: Beneficiaries, children, Māori and Pacific peoples, and sole parents are more likely to experience poverty than other groups.
• What poverty means for people: Being in poverty means experiencing hunger and food insecurity, poor health outcomes, reduced life expectancy, debt, and unaffordable or bad housing.
  
• In 2013, 260,000 dependent children aged 0–17 years were living in relative poverty after housing costs (AHC). This represents 24% of dependent children in New Zealand.
  
• During 2010 to 2013, around 34% of Māori and 28% of Pacific children lived in poor households, compared with 16% of European children (using an after housing cost (AHC) <60% fixed-line measure).

(retrieved from nzccss.org.nz & nzchildren.co.nz)