The Hidden Weight of the Holidays: Navigating Family Violence Trends and Support in 2026

8th of January, 2026

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Christmas and New Year period is historically the busiest and most dangerous time for family violence services. As of early January 2026, several key trends and systemic shifts are defining the current landscape.

The "Holiday Spike" and Surge in Demand

Data from late 2025 and the current 2026 holiday period confirms a significant surge in reports to Police, Women’s Refuge, and 0800 support lines.

The "Dual Burden": Families are currently facing the compounding pressure of financial hardship (inflated cost of living) and family violence.
Reduced Safe Spaces: With schools, many workplaces and community centres closed, there are fewer opportunities to escape escalating tension at home.
Alcohol & Stress: Increased substance use during festive gatherings remains a primary trigger for the escalation of physical and psychological abuse.

Major Policy Shifts: Te Aorerekura (Action Plan 2)

The sector is currently navigating the transition into the Second Te Aorerekura Action Plan (2025–2030), which was launched in late 2024 and hit major milestones throughout 2025.

Social Investment Approach: The government has shifted toward a "social investment" model, focusing on mapping the specific impact of every dollar spent to reduce re-victimisation.
Multi-Agency Response (MAR): There is a heavy focus on "Keeping People Safe" through integrated responses. Areas like Canterbury (via the Integrated Safety Response (ISR)) and Rotorua have seen successful prototypes that are currently being studied for wider national rollout in 2026.
Stalking Legislation: New anti-stalking laws progressed through Parliament in late 2025, providing fresh legal pathways for victims of harassment and persistent stalking as we enter 2026.

Challenges in the Sector

Despite the milestones, the 2025/26 holiday period has been marked by significant strain on frontline workers:

Funding Uncertainty: Recent reviews and redirections of funding (approximately $1.7 million in Budget 2025) have created "instability" for some sexual violence long-term recovery and prevention programmes.
The "Unseen" Crisis: While Police conduct over 100,000 investigations annually, it is estimated that nearly 67% of family violence episodes still go unreported, especially over the holidays when victims fear reprisal or believe services are closed.
High-Risk Escalation: Kaimahi / Support workers are reporting that by the time individuals reach out during this 2025/26 break, their circumstances have often reached "extreme" levels because they tried to "hold it together" for the sake of the family during Christmas.

Looking for Support

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence or needs support following sexual harm, Aviva provides specialised support:

24/7 Support Line: 0800 28 48 26

This is the primary lifeline for anyone in the Canterbury region. Whether you are in immediate crisis or just need to talk through your situation, our kaimahi are available every hour of the day.

Aviva exists because we care

Aviva supports individuals and whānau to not only become safe, but begin a journey toward a fulfilling, violence-free life.
Aviva’s full range of services include:

In an Emergency: If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, please call 111 and ask for the Police. If it is unsafe to speak, stay on the line and follow the operator's instructions (such as pressing any button on a mobile) to register a "Silent Solution" call.

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