Community psychology in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Neville Robertson

University of Waikato

Kirikiriroa/Hamilton

Aotearoa/New Zealand

OverviewDomestic violence research – an exemplar of Community Psychology in Aotearoa/New Zealand

– The problems illustrated - Case study– An ecological analysis of the challenge of battering– Community psychology contributions

1. Police arrest policy2. Domestic protection study – and law reform3. Community intervention projects4. Zero tolerance charter5. Other research

Reflections on community psychology generally– Key characteristics of Community Psychology in

Aotearoa– Community psychology practice– Issues

Intimate violence: a “difficult” subject

…rape, incest and other sexual offending are by their nature particularly difficult to talk about …However, silence has always been the mark of the rapist and the oppressor, and does not indicate consent in either public discourse private relationships.

Sue Bradford, Member of the New Zealand Parliament, 10 November, 2004

SeparationD begins phone campaign from

(City)

R files for separation –

goes to (Town)Burglary & assault

Buys gun Meeting

Breach & assault

Breach and murder

1st psych clinic

2nd psych clinic and

followup appmts

Family court

counsellor

Buys 2nd gun

Travels on assignment

Protection orders

Family court counsellor 1

Counsellor 2Swaps

gun

Counsellor 2

Case study

Roslyn & Donald

E: Mapping the response problemOver-arching cultural values and misogyny

Context of fear and enforced privacy

•See only part of the picture•Overlook/ignore violence•Endanger women•Collude with abuser

Individual discretion

Potential for reform?

(1) Police arrest policy(Greg Ford, 1985-87)

Dominant model – reluctant involvement (restore calm and leave)– Victims dissatisfied– Problems of repeat calls

Trialled policy– Arrest, if evidence – without complaint– Follow-up by women’s refuges

Evaluation– Increased satisfaction (even among men)– Fewer repeat calls

Adopted as national policy 1987

(2) Domestic Protection Study Ruth Busch, Neville Robertson & Hilary Lapsley

Victims Task Force concerned about repeated breaches of protection orders (Domestic Protection Act, 1982)Negotiated wider brief to include examining access to the orders

Note: the Victims’ Task Force was administered by the Department of Justice.

Our approach

Literature reviewKey informant interviews - police officers, judges, lawyers, counsellors, women’s refuge workers, court staffAnalysis of official statisticsAnalysis of judicial decisionsCase studies of 20 Māori and non-Māori women

Outcomes of domestic violence calls to 3 police districts

Outcome Large city Small city Rural town All districts

Arrested 12.8% 15.2% 15.4% 14.3%

Warned 6.2% 2.4% 4.3% 4.3%

No further action

80.5% 82.4% 80.3% 80.8%

Police arrest policy poorly

implemented

Qualitative data vital (police)

Asked about his views on the causes of domestic violence, a police prosecutor commented:

Some women have a huge capacity to create massive problems within their household. They can't keep their bloody mouths shut at the appropriate time.

“Downstream” problems

Why arrest if Women won’t give evidence? – Victim blaming cf. PE fit

Judges slap men over the wrist with a damp bus ticket?– i.e. there is a systemic problem – over

and above individual attitudes.

Judge’s attitudes

I find it difficult to accept the District Court Judge’s

categorisation of this (single) punch as (constituting serious

violence) This punch appears to have arisen out of the

instinctive reaction by the appellant to the argument that

had arisen between him and the complainant. It was not part

of a sustained course of violence. The consequence was a not

uncommon black eye and no more. It was not the worst of

black eyes

(Justice Doogue, Kelly v the Police (Unreported Judgment, High Court at

Rotorua, 15 May 1991), emphasis added)

Judge’s attitudes (2)

Mr X I am sure clings to the hope that in some way or

another his family unit can be restored and that I

think is evidenced by the fact that every now and

then he gravitates instinctively towards his

home even though his condition when he arrives

there regrettably sometimes makes him an

unwelcome visitor.

Judge Inglis, X v X (Unreported decision, Wellington Family Court,

FP 085/1127/83, 8 October 1986, emphasis added)

Courts…

In addition to judge’s attitudes:Victim-witnesses often unprotected from intimidation.Event-focus of criminal jurisdiction means history and context of violence lost.

And in the Family CourtStrong orientation towards mediation as preferred resolution.

Women’s stories - compelling illustrations of “the gap”

i.e. the gap between women’s experiences and the system’s response.Fatal danger - cf pathetic, blubbering manTerroristic threats - cf. flowers for mothers’ dayAssaults and intimidation - cf “I just want to see my children”Wanting orders enforced - cf. paranoid, vindictive women

Our Report

Domestic Violence and the Justice System: A study of breaches of protection orders.

101 recommendations including 35 for law changes

Approved by our advisory committee

Censored report published

Domestic Violence and the Justice System: A study of breaches of protection orders.

Protection from Family Violence: A study of breaches of protection orders

The Domestic Violence Act 1995

Broader definition of domestic violenceOrders more widely availableSimpler process for obtaining final ordersMandatory referral of respondents to stopping violence programmesFree counseling for victims and childrenIncreased penalties for breaching ordersPresumption against violent parent having custody or unsupervised access

Research + activism = reform?

(3) Community intervention projects

Shared philosophy (prioritising safety and autonomy of women).Agency protocols (Police, Courts, Corrections) to ensure consistency.Monitoring of protocols by women’s advocates – to ensure accountability of offender and decision-maker.Networking to share information.Services for victims.Programmes for abusers.

Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project

Police call

Arrest?

Court

Men’s programme

Enforcement for non-compliance

Advocate

Court advocate

Women’s programme

Family Court grants protection order

Interagency arrangements

- Protocols

- Meetings

Parallel developmen

t

Evaluation of HAIP - achievementsNumber of arrests markedly increased.Women strongly positive about police.Bail rules applied consistency.Charging regime reasonably consistent.Successful prosecutions improved (from 64% to 90%).Men’s programme attendance consistently enforced by Probation.Programme participants generally positive (including men).Women reported feeling safer.

(4) Zero Tolerance to Family Violence Charter

(Safer Hamilton)

Needs assessment and community

consultation

Development of charter (a motherhood

statement)

Invitation for organisations to sign

Consultant on implementation

Safety Audits

Policy development(e.g.. Screening, referral

protocols)

Training to implement policies

Other community psychology research in domestic violence

Mutual support groups for battered women (Rebekah Pratt)Women’s perspectives of the effectiveness of the HAIP stopping violence programme (Jane Furness)Women’s experiences of health professionals (Elizabeth Flaherty)Children’s experiences of supervised access (Sue Jolley)Women’s experiences of child protection services (Lorraine Corbett)Intentional injury among residents of women’s refuges (Poli Karapu, Ariana Simpson, Karen Whiteman, Neville Robertson)

Reflections (1): Key characteristics of Community Psychology in Aotearoa

Very applied – pragmatic approach to social changeMulti-level approach– Societal/Organisational/Community/Individual

Critical, social justice orientationCultural context (and cultural safety) centralMethodologically diverse (e.g. surveys, focus groups, interviews, ethnographic)InterdisciplinarityClose collaboration with community activistsEvaluation of services and programmes– Tool for incremental social change

Reflections (2): Examples of practice

Arena/ Level

Societal Organisationalcommunity

Individual

Health Māori health policy analyst

Heath promotionAnti-stigma work

Family advocate within psychiatric hospital

Social services

Social policy analyst

Manager, sexual assault service

Stopping violence worker

Education

Literary advisor

Cultural safety trainer

Literacy tutor.Support for “marginal” students

Diverse issues, multiple levels, multiple roles

Practice….

People with community psychology training seldom work in jobs labelled “psychologist”Within psychology, community psychologists have often been to the fore in reform (e.g. Bicultural issues)Key skills– Applied research, especially programme

evaluation– Critical analysis– Relationship building

Issues

Is Community Psychology – an area of activity, or – an approach which can be applied

across areas?

Tension between working collaboratively and maintaining profile of sub-disciplineTension between professionalism and radicalism