Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa/National Council of Women of New Zealand Wellington Branch (NCWNZ) is deeply concerned by the Government funding cuts that will force the closure of RespectEd Aotearoa, a specialist sexual violence prevention organisation that has spent more than a decade delivering education and prevention programmes across Aotearoa.

RespectEd has delivered consent, healthy relationships, and violence prevention education in schools, workplaces, prisons, and community settings throughout New Zealand. Their work has focused on addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours before violence occurs, which is a much needed mahi that stops harm before it happens and prevents trauma in our communities.

The closure is especially alarming given findings from NCWNZ and Rangahau Aotearoa Research New Zealand’s 2025 Gender Attitudes Survey, which highlighted growing complacency around gender equality and deeply concerning attitudes towards consent and violence. For example, the survey found that:

• 17% of New Zealanders think that if someone is raped when they are drunk, they are at least partly responsible;
• 11% believe that if someone does not physically fight back, it cannot be called rape; and
• Agreement that “it’s understandable for a man to hit out when his partner tries to leave” has risen from 8% in 2017 to 14% in 2025.

The Gender Attitudes Survey identified growing resistance to gender equality initiatives and worrying trends in attitudes towards sexism, discrimination, and social inclusion.

Prevention work is critical in addressing New Zealand’s persistently high rates of domestic and family violence, which are among the highest in the OECD. (See more on this in OECD's 2023 report 'Violence against Women'.) 

As signatories to international commitments including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), New Zealand has an obligation to actively work towards eliminating gender-based violence and discrimination. Specifically, these latest funding decisions are contrary to the gender-based violence concluding observations provided after New Zealand’s examination by the CEDAW Committee during our ninth periodic report in October 2024. Cutting prevention services moves us backwards.

RespectEd provides evidence-based education that helps challenge harmful gender norms, improve understanding of consent, and reduce violence before it occurs. Preventing sexual violence requires sustained investment in education, community engagement, and early intervention.

NCWNZ is calling on the Government to urgently reconsider funding decisions impacting violence prevention and consent education services and to engage meaningfully with organisations working in the sector.

This is not simply an issue affecting one organisation. It is about the kind of society we want to build. NCWNZ wants one where prevention, safety, education, and dignity are treated as priorities, not optional extras.

By
Sarah Calley
Vice President, NCWNZ Wellington Branch