1. Individual Consequences (victims)
1.1 Physical:
Abdominal/thoracic injuries
Bruises and welts
Chronic Pain syndrome
Chronic Disease
Disability
Fibromyalgia
Fractures
Gastrointestinal disorders
Irritable bowel syndrome
Lacerations and abrasions
Ocular damage
Reduced physical functioning
1.2 Sexual and Reproductive
Gynaecological disorders
Infertility
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pregnancy complications / miscarriage
Sexual dysfunction
Sexually transmitted diseases; including
HIV/AIDS
Unsafe abortion
Unwanted pregnancy
1.3 Psychological and Behavioural
Alcohol and drug abuse
Depression and anxiety
Eating and sleep disorders
Feelings of shame and guilt
Phobias and panic disorder
Physical inactivity
Poor self-esteem
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychosomatic disorders
Smoking
Suicidal behaviour and self-harm
2. Social Consequences
Affects well-being of children, families / whanau and communities
Intergenerational transmission of violence[1]
3. Economic Costs
Loss of earnings (victims)
Loss of Productivity[2]
Cost to taxpayers: Police, hospital, counselling, support services, Justice processes
Annual cost to economy $5.302 Billion NZD (1995 figure)[3]
[1] Rebecca Morly & Audrey Mullender, Preventing Domestic Violence to Women (London: Home Office Police Department, 1994), 14.
[2] Suzanne Snively, The NZ Economic Cost of Family Violence (Wellington: Coopers & Lybrand, 1995), 4. No current figures are available from Statistics New Zealand, MSD or NZ Clearinghouse website.
[3] Leitner Center, It’s Not Ok: New Zealand’s Efforts to Eliminate Violence Against Women (New York: Leitner Center for International Law and Justice, 2009), 21.