This Backbone anonymous survey is designed to find out victim-survivors’ thoughts on stopping-violence programmes and interventions designed for people who use violence. The survey is open to women, who are 16+, live in Aotearoa New Zealand and have experienced family violence. The survey closes 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. If you're interested, you can click on the button below to find out more.