New Zealand's sexual violence rates higher than global average, Australia's

RNZ News

09-05-2025

About 500 people gathered on Courtenay Place in Wellington to rally against sexual violence in 2021.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
New Zealand has rates of sexual violence against teenagers above the global average, ahead of even a badly afflicted Australia, according to new research.
A study
published in
The Lancet
took a look across more than 200 countries over the last three decades.
Among people aged 12 to 18, it estimated almost 30 percent of New Zealand women and one in five men had experienced sexual violence.
Australian rates were just below that, but above those of most other high-income countries.
The global rate was 18.9 percent for women and 14.8 percent for men.
The study found significant differences between countries and regions. The US and UK rates for men were around 16 percent, versus almost 22 percent in New Zealand.
Montenegro and Mongolia had particularly low rates, and the Solomon Islands and Cote d'Ivoire, high.
"The prevalence... is extremely high for both females and males across the globe," said the researchers, noting these were probably underestimates given the difficulties getting data.
"An overwhelmingly high proportion of survivors first experienced sexual violence during childhood, revealing a narrow yet sensitive window that should be targeted in future prevention efforts."
They reviewed three global epidemiological databases.
New Zealand's high rates were despite the government spending $70 million on a 25-year plan
launched in 2021
to combat sexual and family violence.
Reports on the plan, Te Aorerekura, found rates of sexual abuse of girls may have actually gone back up recently.
The researchers said the rates showed routine surveillance was vital, and that survivors needed more government-funded support "for the rest of their lives".
The second phase - with far fewer targets, after the
first phase had too many, the government said
- includes a review of the $1.3 billion spent on family and sexual violence services and contracts.
"We're focused on doing a smaller number of things, but doing them more effectively," said the minister responsible for the plan, Karen Chhour.
Community health professor Janet Fanslow at the University of Auckland told the
Science Media Centre
the study "should not be allowed to sit on a shelf somewhere" but be a catalyst for investment.
"It is no longer sufficient to take a piecemeal approach hoping that individual parts of the system will eventually join up," she said.
A primary objective of Te Aorerekura for four years had been to join up the efforts of about a dozen government agencies. Last year's review found a very spotty outcome.
Dr Rachel Roskvist, a forensic medical examiner and expert in sexual assault and non-fatal strangulation and suffocation, said comprehensive relationship and sexuality education was needed.
"What is not seen in this work is the prevalence among transgender, gender fluid, non-binary or intersex individuals, groups known to be at risk for sexual violence."
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.