Specialist sexual violence services
MSD funds a range of specialist sexual violence services to better support victims/survivors and prevent sexual violence.
This work is being funded by investment made in Budget 2016 and 2019. Budget 2019 has provided a further $90.3 million over four years to provide sustainable ongoing funding to existing services as well as develop new services and initiatives.
This investment aims to create a more sustainable and integrated national system of services to ensure more people get what they need at the right time.
In 2019/20 the focus of the funding will be to ensure service continuity for victims/survivors and perpetrators of sexual violence. During this time, we will work closely with the sexual violence sector and other key stakeholders to determine how best to develop, procure and contract sexual violence services in the future. We will let you know about opportunities to be involved in this work via our Family Violence and Sexual Violence Service Provider Update.
Sexual Harm Crisis Support Services
Crisis support services are specialist sexual harm crisis interventions that operate from an indigenous worldview, are culturally effective and based on established principles of good practice.
Services include:
- advocacy and support (including callout)
- emergency face-to-face sessions (including crisis counselling)
- crisis social work support.
Services for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Support services for male survivors of sexual abuse are a specialist sexual violence service aimed at enabling the long-term recovery and wellbeing of male survivors of sexual abuse.
This is done through the provision of:
- case planning and information to male survivors of sexual abuse and their families/whānau/support network, and
- peer support services to adult male survivors of sexual abuse.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour Services
Harmful sexual behaviour services are specialist behaviour change interventions. The services are part of a broader suite of sexual violence support services that aim to support adult victims/survivors, address perpetrators’ harmful behaviour and reduce violent crime.
National Sexual Harm Helpline
Safe to talk – Kōrero mai ka ora, a national sexual harm helpline, provides nationwide 24/7 access to free confidential information and support to people affected by sexual harm in any way.
Court Support Service
Court Support Services focus on victim’s/survivor’s mental, spiritual and physical support needs while they are going through the criminal justice process. The service is provided once a charge is filed and provides support before, during and after the court process.
Other work to strengthen sexual violence services
Alongside the work to develop and support the specialist sexual violence services funded by MSD, there is other work underway to ensure that we are learning about what’s working to continue to strengthen services.
Sexual Harm Crisis Support Services Sector Engagement Report – November 2019
During July/August 2019 the Ministry of Social Development’s Sexual Violence Service Development team travelled around the country visiting currently contracted Sexual Harm Crisis Support Service (SHCSS) providers.
The visits were an opportunity for us to explain the purpose of the $90.3 million Budget 2019 investment in the sector and the services it would cover and hear directly from providers about what is working well with crisis support services, what the challenges are, and potential opportunities ahead with increased investment.
Focus areas of discussion included:
- Gaining an understanding of each service and clients
- Service delivery
- Local relationships with other sexual violence service providers
- Workforce composition
- Data and reporting
- Funding and contracting
- Opportunities to explore
This feedback, alongside our ongoing work, will inform our partnership and work programme approaches for the future direction of the sexual violence work programme, and allocation of Budget 2019 funding.
A full copy of the report can be viewed here.
If you have any questions about the report, please contact: CI_Sexual_Violence_Services@msd.govt.nz.
Evaluation of the impact of the Budget-19 investment
A four-year research and evaluation programme has been developed to:
- evaluate the impact of the uplift in funding, through the Budget-19 investment, in building the capacity, capability and integration of sexual violence sector
- increase understanding of how best to support people affected by sexual violence, with a focus on the needs of select priority groups, through the commissioning of exploratory projects.
The first report from the programme - a baseline survey on the impact of Budget-19 on sexual violence service and the sector, sought to identify how the Budget-19 funding has impacted agencies so far, and their plans and expectations for the funding over the remaining two years of their contract.
Experiences and support needs of the Pacific sexual violence workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand
This study investigated the experiences and support needs of the Pacific sexual violence (SV) workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand. This work was commissioned as part of a work programme on the Budget 2019 investment in SV services.
