New Report Reveals Urgent Need To Address Pregnancy-Related Deaths From Gender-Based Violence In Aotearoa
The report, Femicide: Deaths resulting from gender-based violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, highlights that 63% of maternal suicides between 2006 and 2023 involved a police-reported family violence record. It also notes a disturbing rise in perinatal deaths associated with violence during pregnancy, averaging 40 such deaths annually between 2018 and 2022, more than double the number of family violence homicides recorded each year.
'These findings are sobering and deeply troubling,' said Alison Eddy, Chief Executive of the New Zealand College of Midwives. 'They are a call to action for health, justice and social care systems, and for critical attention to the wider determinants of health, which underscore these tragic deaths'.
Midwives: A Critical Line of Defence
The report recognises midwives and their frontline role in identifying and responding to violence during pregnancy.
'Midwives work in a relational and holistic model and often provide care within whānau homes. As well as being trusted health care professionals, they are uniquely positioned to detect signs of distress, provide culturally responsive care and connect women to vital support services,' says Alison.
The report calls for:
Enhanced training and support for midwives to identify and respond to violence.
Culturally aligned, locality-based maternal support services, especially for wāhine Māori and other vulnerable groups.
Improved data collection on lifetime experiences of violence, including for migrant, disabled, and rainbow communities.
A Call to Action
The College is urging government agencies, health providers, and community organisations to act on the report's recommendations, including the development of after-care systems for survivors and families affected by femicide.
'This report confirms what midwives see every day. Pregnancy can be a time of vulnerability for many women,' says Alison. 'Midwives are in a unique position to notice the warning signs and refer for help, but we need to ensure appropriate services are immediately available and adequately resourced to support those referrals.
'The connections midwives build with women and whānau can be powerful. We must ensure our midwifery workforce is equitably equipped and that culturally safe, community-based supports are available country-wide —particularly for wāhine Māori, who are disproportionately impacted.
'This is not only a health system issue,' adds Alison, 'It's about human rights and equity. We must honour the lives lost by acting now to create a more connected, culturally responsive, and preventive approach.'
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