KEY POINTS:
A survey showing about half of all young New Zealanders were deliberately physically hurt by others at home or at school shows just how pervasive violence is within our culture says Families Commissioner Sandra Alofivae.
The report, issued today by the Ministry of Health, was based on a survey of 9700 secondary school students, randomly selected throughout the country, who were asked questions relating to their experience of violence, including bullying.
Violence and New Zealand Young People, Findings of Youth2000 was co-ordinated by the University of Auckland.
Ms Alofivae said it showed that violence was common in the lives of many young people.
"They experience it at home, they are bullied and feel unsafe at school, and some are also violent themselves."
Ms Alofivae said it was the first time that young people had been surveyed in such a way and "the results are shocking and disturbing".
"This survey shows us that some children are being brought up with violence, they go on to use violence, and they are also victims of violence and sexual abuse. Sometimes they are reporting that what they experience is bad, or even terrible."
Ms Alofivae, who is a Family Court lawyer and youth advocate, said the information should not be used to simply target the behaviour of young people.
"We need to address the violence within our families - we need to be good role models for our children. Yelling, screaming and hitting simply teaches them that this is acceptable behaviour," she said.
"Our attitudes need to change so that we are very clearly saying that violence is not acceptable."
The Families Commission is part of a nationwide movement initiated by the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families to change attitudes and behaviour toward family violence.
The Campaign for Action on Family Violence will be launched on September 4 and will work with communities and agencies to change the way New Zealanders think and act about family violence.
The report analysed violence witnessed, perpetrated or experienced by the random sample of secondary school students in years nine to 13.
About 50 per cent of male students and 30 per cent of females admitted to physically hurting someone else on purpose.
It also found 16 per cent of students had seen adults physically hurting children in their home, and six per cent had seen adults physically hurting other adults in their homes.
About 20 per cent of students did not feel safe at school, 30 per cent had been bullied and of those about half had reported the bullying to an adult.
The study also said 26 per cent of females and 14 per cent of male students had had an unwanted sexual contact but only one in seven told an adult.
"Sadly, many teenagers are regularly exposed to violence, whether witnessing it at home, acting violently towards other teenagers or being victimised, and this can have an effect on their development," said one of the report's key authors, Dr Peter Watson of the university's Adolescent Health Research Group.
The study followed a New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) survey which found one in seven primary school teachers were hit by their pupils last year.
- NZPA
