This Backbone anonymous survey was designed to find out victim-survivors’ thoughts on stopping-violence programmes and interventions designed for people who use violence. The survey was open to women, who are 16+, live in Aotearoa New Zealand and have experienced family violence. The survey closed 14 September 2025.

The survey project has two aims:

Aim one is future-focussed: What behaviour changes in the person using violence do women victim-survivors hope to see due to stopping-violence programmes, interventions or other activities?

Aim two is focussed on past experiences of women who know that the person who harmed them was referred to or attended a stopping-violence programme: were they safer because the person who caused them harm went to a stopping-violence programme? Or did it make them less safe, or did it have no effect?

The Government is currently undertaking a review of stopping-violence programmes and services regarding future plans for these interventions/programmes. We think any future plans should be informed by the needs of victim-survivors, and this survey will help Backbone advocate for this.

Alongside this Backbone Collective survey, Papakāinga Trust researchers led by Daysha Tonumaipe’a are running a wānanga and talanoa project to kōrero/talk with Māori and Pacific women about their experiences and insights on stopping violence programmes and activities.