A University of Auckland project to develop an evidence-based platform for family violence prevention in New Zealand has received $2.88 million in funding over four years from the Health and Society Research Fund in the latest Science Investment Round from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Between 2011 and 2014, family violence accounted for over half of the homicides experienced by New Zealand women. A lack of New Zealand data about risk factors for family violence prevents government agencies from understanding where to start in order to change community attitudes towards violence.
The aim of the investigation is to produce the information necessary for informed policy making in a New Zealand context, working towards a goal of achieving intergenerational change in family violence exposure.
Associate Professor Tracey McIntosh of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga and Sociology is a Primary Investigator in the project, which will be led by Associate Professor Janet Fanslow from the School of Population Health.
They will be joined by a second Primary Investigator from the School of Population Health, Dr Pauline Gulliver. Through the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga network the study will recruit and support a Māori PhD student to ensure capacity building and enhance workforce development in both policy and community environments.
To ensure that effective policies are produced as a result of the information gathered, senior policy advisors of key government agencies will be part of the research development.
Tracey’s focus in this population study will be working with Māori to define and offer solutions to whānau violence. She notes that “meaningful Māori participation is one of the critical elements of this study if it is to inform positive social change and I am thrilled that we will have the opportunity to undertake it”.
Dean of Arts, Professor Robert Greenberg, was delighted to hear about the successful funding of this project and congratulated Tracey for her role in it.
Find out more about the Science Investment Round 2015 successful proposals
