One woman in five hit at home

By Andrew Stone and Jan Corbett

Nearly one woman in five has suffered domestic violence - and for Maori women it is one in three.

The figures, revealed in a New Zealand Herald-DigiPoll survey, reflect a problem that has seen convictions for assault on females increase more than 150 per cent in the past 10 years.

Asked whether they had been victims of domestic violence, 18.4 per cent of women said they had.

Among Maori women, nearly a third had experienced violence in their relationship, more than twice the rate for Pacific Islanders, who reported much the same level as European migrants (14.2 per cent) and Pakeha.

At the same time, the survey of 860 people taken this month found that nearly one in eight men had been on the receiving end of violence from a partner.

Although all the evidence shows that it is invariably women and children who suffer at the hands of men, an Otago University study indicates that young women are more likely to strike the first blow - out of frustration and because they are victims of previous domestic assaults.

That study, of 1000 people aged 21, found that 37 per cent of the women reported striking their partners first, compared with 22 per cent of the men. Similarly, 34 per cent of the men said they had been hit by their partners, compared with 27 per cent of the women.

The results mirror American studies that were bitterly contested by women's rights activists.

Jane Drumm, manager of the Saftinet service for domestic violence victims, fears these statistics will be used to trivialise the experience of the "splattered women" she sees daily.

"Who's frightened of whom?" she asks. "And who ends up in hospital and who doesn't?"

While the Dunedin study agrees that women are more likely to end up in hospital, it says there are no tidy groups of victims and perpetrators.

Confirming Australian research showing that men hit to gain control and women to express frustration, the Dunedin study found women who hit first were 10 times more likely to have been victims in the past.

Conversely, men who had initiated violence in the past were 19 times more likely to be struck first in the next row.

The Dunedin authors believe that women think less about the consequences of hitting because they know these will be less severe. Women are unlikely to cause injury, and therefore the man is unlikely to call the police.

The Dunedin study suggests that women who hit first have different backgrounds from men who resort to violence.

Unlike the women, the men are likely to be drug abusers with personality disorders who left school early. They are often unemployed, with few social support networks, and commit violence outside the home.


Picking up the pieces the old Maori way

By Andrew Stone

Chrissie Paul repairs casualties from the battleground of domestic violence.

The Hamilton woman helps 100 women a year get their lives back on track after sometimes years of abusive relationships.

Her Whakahou Services deals with Maori women, and she is not surprised by a New Zealand Herald-DigiPoll survey showing that one in three Maori report being victims of physical domestic violence.

At 32.3 per cent, the rate for Maori is more than twice that reported by Pacific Islanders or Pakeha.

Chrissie Paul says that while Maori may have reported more violence, no New Zealand community has a proud record.

An experienced counsellor, she tries to break the cycle of abuse by teaching women that they can stand up to violence and get help.

Her programme uses Maori traditions and culture and encourages women to develop networks in their communities.

After two years, some of the first women helped are back counselling newcomers.