Debbs Murray News Today

Since the beginning of last year, Bay of Plenty Police have investigated about 21,000 reports of family harm - of which nearly 10,000 involved people with...

Low rape conviction rate shows system is failing - Womens Refuge © RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly The rate of successful rape convictions in 2020 was the lowest for more than 10 years. The latest figures from the Ministry of Justice showed 31 percent of all people charged with rape were convicted (89 people). For all sexual offences, the conviction rate was slightly higher, at 44 percent. But that is still far below the conviction rate for other charges, which stood at 71 percent. Womens Refug...

Womens Refuge chief executive Dr Ang Jury said the data showed its still too easy for people who are charged to escape conviction. "If you are charged with a sexual or a family violence offence, youve got a fairly good roll of the dice of getting away with it. Thats what these numbers say. "If the consequences arent there, then nothing is going to change." She said its even more concerning, given the police only bring charges against people if they think theyre likely to get a successful convic...

Figures released to Newshub show that since March, when New Zealand was in COVID-19 alert level 4, show the number of family harm investigations carried out by police was up every single month right through to September, compared to the previous year.  The total number of family harm investigations between March and September in 2020 reached over 97,000, compared to the same period in 2019, which totalled at just more than 84,500. Murray says family violence is becoming more brutal.  "Assault...

Traumatic: 2020 a horror year for domestic violence as figures reveal shocking increase Newshub 7/01/2021 Replay Video UP NEXT Last year is being described as a horror year for domestic violence with police investigations into family harm increased since the first lockdown, and one non-Government organisation (NGO) is warning the rise shows no sign of slowing down.  The staff at NGO Shine are preparing to help more victims of domestic violence.  Shine advocacy team manager Debbs Murray say...