This report presents the findings of a select committee inquiry into the funding of specialist sexual violence social services in New Zealand. The terms of reference were to review:

• the state of specialist services and determine whether they reflect an integrated approach to service delivery, full coverage, and best practice
• specialist services, including those for Māori and other diverse ethnic communities, and assess whether they are accessible, culturally appropriate, and sustainable.

Specialist sexual violence social services are crucial to mitigating the costs of sexual violence. Ensuring that people get help to address the psychological trauma resulting from sexual violence and support through the health and justice processes is vital. It reduces long-term costs and improves the wellbeing and contributions to society of victims/survivors.

The first aim in our terms of reference was to inquire whether the state of services reflects an integrated approach to service delivery, full coverage, and best practice. We have found that it does not. Our second aim was to inquire whether services are accessible, culturally appropriate, and sustainable. We are not satisfied that they are.

It is clear that an overhaul of New Zealand’s sexual violence services sector is needed. Leadership from the Government is critical, and we urge the Government and all stakeholders to collaborate towards developing a system that meets the needs of all New Zealanders. Addressing sexual violence also aligns well with the Government’s Better Public Services goals of supporting vulnerable children and reducing rates of violent crime and reoffending.

We are aware that this inquiry has coincided with the Government’s work in the area of sexual violence, especially the review by the cross-agency senior officials’ group and the work programme of the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence.

We understand that the sexual violence senior officials’ group is now working under the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. We would expect that these groups could take up our recommendations and incorporate them into their work programme. We envisage that they will address the question of leadership in the sector.

We reiterate that an integrated whole-of-system approach, including a purpose-built funding and service delivery model, would work best for delivering specialist sexual violence social services in New Zealand. We encourage the Government to progress our recommendations with urgency.