#WhyIVote – Safety Policies

Safety – “Every woman has the need and right to feel physically secure, and security for women should be assured through sound legal practices.

Women’s March Global stands behind the principle that women are not to be held accountable for actions that are outside their control — particularly regarding all forms of assault — and that fair legal action must be applied to prevent these crimes” (Women’s March Global statement of worldwide vision and focus).

In New Zealand/Aotearoa, the statistics related to assault against women are grim.  The effects of such violence are even more devastating.

• Sexual assault – The Ministry of Justice released these data in 2016:
  – Distressing sexual touching – 22% of women compared to 5% of men
  – Attempted forced sexual intercourse – 11% of women compared to 2% of men
  – Forced sexual intercourse – 11% of women compared to 2% of men
  – Other sexual violence – 10% of women compared to 2% of men.
  For more information, see Rape Crisis Dunedin.
• Domestic violence – According to Women’s Refuge, domestic violence is one of the leading causes of injury and death to women in NZ.
  – In one study it was reported that from 33-39% of NZ women experience some type of intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
  – Domestic violence can cause short and long-term health problems such as mental illness, problems with sexual and reproductive health, and significant economic problems for women and their children.
  – In 2015, Women’s Refuge reported that they received nearly 82,000 crisis line calls (an average of 1 call every 6.5 minutes).
  For more information visit Women’s Refuge.
• Homicide – The New Zealand Police report that between 2007-2014, the majority of homicide victims were males killed by non-family members, but just over a third of female homicide victims were killed by their partner.
  For more information see NZ Police.

Women’s March Aotearoa New Zealand needs your help to inspire more women to vote in the September 2017 general election with our #WhyIVote action.

The women of Aotearoa New Zealand have had the right to vote for almost 125 years, but during the 2014 general election only two thirds of those aged 18 to 29 voted.

We want to change that. Women deserve and need to make their voices heard.

Please help us inspire women to vote by telling us why #KateSentMe and #whyIvote.