Family violence in New Zealand: we can do better

Ian Hassall, Janet Fanslow Two papers from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS)--in this issue of the Journal by Millichamp, Martin, and Langley: On the receiving end: young adults describe their parents' use of physical punishment and other disciplinary measures during childhood. http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1228/1818 and Domestic violence as witnessed by New Zealand children. http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1228/1817--provide a picture of family violence in New Zealand similar to other studies.1,2 Undoubtedly, family violence is a leading cause of suffering and lost potential in this country. The prevalence of family violence varies considerably between countries and communities.4,5 Some of this can be attributed to differences between countries in assignment of cause of death but not the larger part of the 30-fold difference in child maltreatment mortality across the OECD countries.6 In some communities, injury of intimate partners is rare.7 Many New Zealanders have long been aware that we could and should do better in reducing family violence. There is a substantial body of evidence which answers that question by pointing to differences in levels of violence between equitable and inequitable societies.10 Violence seems to be an inevitable part of societies in which dominance hierarchies are established and maintained by individuals and groups over one another.