Media release from Ministry of Health

A committee set up in 2008 to examine deaths from family violence puts the latest annual toll at 41 deaths (2009) which underlines the importance of initiatives to reduce these deaths according to a report tabled in Parliament today.

The Family Violence Death Review Committee, which has the overarching goal of preventing family violence and deaths, says that the toll of family violence deaths is too high and must come down.   

Committee Chair Wendy Davis says this is the first year where the committee have formally provided an official toll and even this figure may grow.  "Previously we have only glimpsed these figures through research which is often unpublished."

"We are working with a broader definition to ensure we look as widely as possible at the problem and this means we have come up with a higher figure than has been suggested from previous work in this area."

Ms Davis says the Committee's plan is clear: we look carefully at each death; we learn from each case and from the cases combined and we then make recommendations to help prevent further deaths.  "As a group are very aware of the complexity of the problem we are helping to try and solve."

Overseas experience provides hope.  "We know that similar committees, over time, have contributed to falls in the number of family violence deaths.  Their experiences can help to guide our way."

Often family violence deaths are reported as a surprise to others around them.  On closer look, the truth is often otherwise.  Many family violence deaths do not occur out of the blue and often there were patterns of repeated violence that may have allowed individuals and agencies to step in earlier and help.

We need good information, good networks and high level commitment so that we can develop and implement recommendations that will make a difference.

Our task is important and we know we must balance the urgency of the task with the need to act from solid foundations.

"We have now commenced pilot reviews and are refining information gathering and review processes.  One of our critical appointments - a lead coordinator of local death reviews - begins at the end of next month.

"I'd like to thank all the members of the committee, and those helping it.  This year has been to start building those foundations - getting good information and an infrastructure to support it.  This is vitally important work that we will all work to continue."