Between 2007 and 2009, TOAH-NNEST partnered with ten government agency chief executives in the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence. The collaboration between government and community allowed the creation of an up-to-date evidence base of research and information to guide future actions.

The Taskforce was asked to identify the actions required to better prevent and respond to sexual violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a focus on adult victim/survivors of sexual violence because of the particular difficulties that adults encounter within the criminal justice system.

The final report from the taskforce ‘Te Toiora Mata Tauherenga – Report of the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence’ was published in 2009 by the Ministry of Justice. The report structured over 70 recommendations into three priority areas – preventing sexual violence (focussed on primary prevention), developing effective specialist frontline services for victims and offenders, and reforming criminal justice.

PREVENTION

• Sustainable funding for specialist sexual violence primary prevention programmes.
• TOAH-NNEST is resourced to continue in its work with government, including the development of Te Ohaakii a Hine as a prevention model and work on the Sexual Violence Prevention Plan.
• The Sexual Violence Prevention Plan is completed and circulated for public consultation.
• Specific work on child sexual abuse and adult rape is undertaken as part of the work of the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families ‘It’s not ok’ campaign.

SPECIALIST FRONTLINE SERVICES

• A review is undertaken of funding arrangements that support collaborative approaches and includes consideration of alternative funding models.
• Immediate funding is provided so that workforce training and development needs and service coordination can be achieved.
• Alternatives to the current accident compensation corporation (ACC) system are implemented.
• Government–TOAH-NNEST exploration of legislative changes is required to enable ACC delivery of best practice rehabilitation and treatment.
• The pilot programme for the treatment of non-mandated perpetrators of sexual violence is delivered and evaluated, and an additional pilot programme by and for tangata whenua is delivered.
• Funding shortfalls are evaluated for the provision of community treatment for offenders.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Legislative amendments are progressed (consent, reasonable belief and the ‘rape shield’).
• A joint government and TOAH-NNEST project is undertaken, specific to sexual violence, on:
  • reducing the impact of the criminal justice system on victims, and enhancing the rights of those victims
  • piloting and implementing a specialist court support role for victims of sexual violence
  • delivering specialist training to relevant criminal justice personnel on sexual violence and Te Ao Māori
  • progressing work on alternative methods of resolution, including models appropriate for Māori, and restorative justice programmes.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND APPROACHES

• Information prepared as part of the work programme is made publicly available.
• There is monitoring of progress on the report’s recommendations to ensure action is targeted to where it is most effective.
• There is ongoing involvement and resourcing of TOAH-NNEST in sexual violence work.

You can download a summary of the report here, and the full Taskforce report here.