Findings and reports
Kaitiakitanga te hapori | FVSV / Disability Community voices
Reflecting on survivor experiences
– one year on from the release of the Royal Commission’s findings
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care released its findings in 2024. One year on, the Department of Internal Affairs made funding available for survivors to lead initiatives around a National Day of Reflection to enable:
survivors of abuse in care to be acknowledged and remembered
awareness to be raised about historic abuse in care and the story of care in New Zealand
awareness to be raised about contemporary care in New Zealand and the need to prevent abuse
survivors to be informed about progress on the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
As a result, reflective, confidential and (sometimes) challenging conversations took place, that acknowledged survivors who were abused in care while raising awareness of both historic and current care issues.
The overwhelming impression gained is that progress on the inquiry’s recommendations is unnecessarily slow. Despite being New Zealand’s largest-ever inquiry, and backed by extensive academic, legal, policy, and practitioner evidence, alongside community voices and the testimony of thousands of survivors and whānau, some key recommendations of the Royal Commission have been rejected, and abuse in care continues today.
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Report Survivor Reflections – one year on from the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
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This deeply personal collection centres the voices, histories, and rights of disabled survivors of abuse in care across Aotearoa. Through stories of loss, resilience, identity, and advocacy, it honours those who carried their experiences into the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care and those who did not live to see justice.
Grounded in disability rights and survivor leadership, these reflections call
for dignity, protection, and a future where disabled people are safe,
valued, and heard.
Barriers to family violence services, related concerns, and ideas for addressing these
In 2025, VisAble held hui across Aotearoa New Zealand, to hear from tāngata whaikaha Māori, disabled people and whānau about their experiences in accessing family violence and sexual violence (FVSV) services.
We asked about barriers and concerns, and about people’s ideas for improvements.
This was with the aim of helping government agencies and FVSV service providers make changes in their places, so it will become easier for disabled people to access support.
The findings have been completed and a report is being finalised. Once completed, the report will be provided to the Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence (the Centre) for their action. It will then also be available here.
In the meantime, a summary of the findings is available.
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Summary of Barriers to FVSV services and Recommendations: Kaitiakitanga te Hāpori
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Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori typically experience six key barriers to accessing family violence and sexual violence (FVSV) services. This factsheet outlines those barriers and ideas for addressing them.
Child to Parent Violence and Abuse (CPVA):
Barriers to CPVA services, related concerns, and ideas for addressing these
In 2025, VisAble designed a survey to centre and document the experiences of families living with Child to Parent Violence and Abuse (CPVA) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose of the survey was to:
gather the first set of national data on the impacts of CPVA on families
highlight gaps in support and services
provide evidence to inform policy, professional practice, and the development of coordinated responses for affected families.
The survey was completed by parents and caregivers experiencing CPVA, with 91 respondents nationwide. A full report is available in our CPVA resources.
Respondents reported a high level of violence and abuse from their children, ranging from verbal threats and intimidation to physical harm – which was sometimes life-threatening. The frequency of abuse was also high, with many families experiencing these behaviours on a daily basis or multiple times a day. The survey highlights that this violence has significant emotional, psychological, and social impacts on caregivers and the wider family.
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Summary - The impacts of Child to Parent Violence and Abuse in Aotearoa New Zealand: The parent/caregiver voice
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Parents and caregivers typically experience six key barriers to accessing CPVA services. This factsheet outlines those barriers and ideas for addressing them. The full report is also available.
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Report - The Impacts of Child to Parent Violence and Abuse in Aotearoa New Zealand
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A summary of VisAble’s 2025 survey: The parent/caregiver voice – the first CPVA data collection in Aotearoa New Zealand, highlighting the impacts of CPVA on our families and whānau.
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