It is now widely acknowledged that Rainbow communities experience significant rates of partner and sexual violence in Aotearoa New Zealand. Government research suggests lesbian, gay and bisexual people are more than twice as likely to experience intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence during their lifetimes. However, community research into violence prevention initiatives has identified significant gaps for Rainbow communities.

In 2015 Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura – Outing Violence, facilitated 18 community hui around Aotearoa New Zealand to ask Rainbow communities what was needed to address partner and sexual violence. Those attending asked for healthy relationships resources and programmes appropriate for Rainbow people and supports for family, whānau and communities to be safe places for Rainbow young people. This research also introduced the need to understand 'Rainbow relationships' as all relationships in which at least one person is part of the Rainbow community. This avoids excluding asexual, bisexual and trans people who are in different-gender relationships, a problem associated with the term 'same-sex' relationships.