They leave their own families safe at home at step in to the most volatile and violent of Kiwi homes over holidays to help and protect vulnerable victims.

A new site allowing women to secretly access the Women's Refuge website without alerting offenders has been launched.

Former perpetrator of family violence Alexander Masame speaks about his life and losing his family because of his fists and bullying. And, what made him change his violent ways.

Alexander Masame was a violent and abusive husband and father. This Christmas he shares his story in a bid to shine a light on New Zealand's dark epidemic.

One of the keys to curing New Zealand's family violence epidemic is everyone playing their part. Here's how one woman's quick thinking saved her neighbour from another violent assault.

In May the Herald launched a campaign focusing on family violence in NZ. We are revisiting the issue with a spotlight on family harm over holiday period.

A survivor of domestic violence speaks out about her horrendous 15-year marriage and how the misery, fear and harm got worse every Christmas.

A woman who left her violent and abusive partner earlier this year after reading the Herald's series We're Better Than This, speaks about starting over and her first Christmas free from fear.

Kate escaped a violent marriage after 15 years of harm, hurt and abuse. She speaks out about her horrible life, and her first Christmas without fear after she fled her home to a safe house. Producer: Anna Leask Video: Alan Gibson

A woman has been shot during a domestic dispute in Hamilton this morning.

A man who put a 3-year-old into a scalding bath, causing the boy's skin to "flake off", has been jailed for nearly four years.

Counselling service that receives around 18,000 calls a month, to merge with Presbyterian Support Northern.

"It's Not Ok" spokesperson Vic Tamati talks to Hawke's Bay Regional Prison inmates about living a violence-free life. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

"I will stand up, speak out and act to prevent men's violence towards women." That is the pledge White Ribbon want all Kiwis to take tomorrow on their annual awareness day.

Police attend a call for help from a victim of family harm every 4.9 minutes in New Zealand - and one officer knows all too well how serious the issue is.

Veterans of two Hawke's Bay gangs will bike alongside each other in the fight against domestic violence in the White Ribbon Ride which

When Katrina Drummond finally decided to walk away from her controlling ex-husband it was the last decision she would make.

In terms of domestic violence across the country the statistics are not good. The statistics which encompass crime and injury associated

New Zealand has a shameful domestic violence record with police attending hundreds of incidents every day. Hawke's Bay Today, in

Kiwi songstress Hollie Smith has penned a new single aimed at creating awareness around family violence, with all proceed going to this year's White Ribbon appeal. The song "Please" is released today.

A man convicted of beating his wife so severely that he perforated her eardrum has left New Zealand.

Crime is on the up in New Zealand, with latest figures showing an increase in burglaries, assaults, abductions and sex offences over the last year.

Immigration New Zealand are set to remove a man convicted of beating his wife so severely - as she held their baby daughter - that he temporarily deafened her.

Women's refuges, church agencies and other community groups will soon have to hand over their client details to the Government in

Australian children will be taught about "male privilege" and shown images of men cleaning dishes and women playing football in a drive to break gender stereotypes.

A district court judge discharged a man who beat his wife after she complained they weren't holding hands while watching a movie - but that decision has now been overturned.

COMMENT: Hurimoana Dennis, chair of Te Puea Memorial Marae, looks back over the marae's efforts to help homeless people during the winter.

COMMENT: The rewrite of the Social Security Act is a good time to abolish the sanctions altogether.

The latest steps proposed by the Govt to try to curb this country's high rate of domestic violence do not appear likely to make much difference.