Environmental Scan – Part 1

This document is made up of six parts. Click on the section you wish to go to.

Table of Contents

Current

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

 

Part one: Introduction

1    Background 

1.1    Project overview
1.2    Rationale for the environmental scan
1.3    Aim of the environmental scan
1.4    Structure of the report

2    Methodology 

2.1    Research objectives
2.2    Survey instruments
2.3    Ethical issues
2.4    Samples
2.5    Recruitment strategies and response rates
2.6    Methodology for Māori
2.7    Data analysis
2.8    Limitations of the research
Footnotes
Glossary of Maori terms
References

 

1   Background

This report responds to a request by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to conduct an environmental scan of agencies and key informants that respond to victim/survivors⁴ of sexual violence.⁵

1.1 Project overview

This report comes out of one of the four interrelated work streams of the Effective Interventions for Adult Victim/Survivors of Sexual Violence research project. This project has been led by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and New Zealand Police. The four interrelated work streams are: 

• a study of pathways from crisis to recovery, focusing on individuals who have experienced sexual violence as adults and their experiences with a variety of support sources (Kingi et al., 2009)
• an environmental scan of agencies and key informants who respond to victim/survivors, focusing on systemic, organisational and other contextual factors that influence systems and agency responses (the environmental scan)
• a retrospective analysis of attrition of sexual violation incidents recorded by the New Zealand Police (Triggs et al., 2009)
• a literature review of good practice in service delivery for services that respond to adult victim/survivors of sexual violence (Mossman et al., 2009a).

 

The findings from the environmental scan together with the findings from the other three work streams will contribute to the Government’s considerations for policy and practice responses for victim/survivors of adult sexual violence in New Zealand. The project also has critical links with the work programme of the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence.

1.2 Rationale for the environmental scan

High-quality service delivery is crucial for meeting the crisis and longer-term needs of victim/survivors to minimise the harm experienced and to promote their future safety and well-being. International research has shown that victim/survivors’ engagement with formal justice and support systems can exacerbate the harm of sexual violence and result in secondary victimisation (Campbell and Raja, 1999; Herman, 2005; Jordan, 2004; Lievore, 2005). There is a growing body of research assessing the impacts of victim/survivors’ engagement with the criminal justice system, but few studies have been conducted into how well support services meet victim/survivors’ needs (Campbell, 2006; Lievore, 2005; Lovett et al., 2004) 

Understanding which agencies are available to respond to victim/survivors and the level and type of services they can provide is important in the development of policies and strategies that aim to ensure effective service delivery for victim/survivors.

It is also important to identify how best to support victim/survivors who want to engage with the formal justice system. A clear picture of the phases of the criminal justice system that victim/survivors must negotiate and the role of different members of the criminal justice system with whom they may come into contact, will help us to understand what might be done to ensure victim/survivors can access justice without being revictimised.

Overseas this type of information had been gathered through environmental scans of the services and agencies that respond to victim/survivors, for example, in Alberta, Canada (Tutty et al., 2005) and Australia (Lievore, 2005; NSW Violence against Women Specialist Unit, 2006). This current research is the first environmental scan for New Zealand.

1.3 Aim of the environmental scan

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs believes an environmental scan can assess systemic, organisational and other contextual factors that affect systems’ and agencies’ capacity to respond effectively to the needs of victim/survivors.

The scan entailed the in-depth surveying of key informants from systems, agencies and groups that are accessible and available to adult victim/survivors across New Zealand. These included representatives of sexual violence services and other victim service providers, medical and other helping professionals, and umbrella and advocacy organisations, and criminal justice personnel.

1.4 Structure of the report

Part one introduces the background to the environmental scan (chapter 1) and outlines the methodology used to carry out the scan (chapter 2).

Part two describes the roles and characteristics of the respondents from the community service providers’ survey (chapter 3) and the criminal justice survey (chapter 4). Descriptive information about the survey respondents provides important details of the research sample and a useful summary of the main groups in New Zealand who respond to victim/survivors.

Part three is the environmental scan of community service provision. Chapter 5 is based on the self-reported information provided by representatives from agencies or individual service providers (i.e. counsellors) and looks at the characteristics of the clients they see, the services they provide, and their views on what could help them to improve service delivery. Chapter 6 describes survey respondents’ comments on the overall level of service provision in their community. Where possible, the views of other key informants (Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) regional liaison doctors (RLDs), police, court victim advisers, and Crown prosecutors) were included alongside those of community service providers in order to gain a broader perspective on the overall level of service provision across New Zealand.

Part four (chapter 7) is the environmental scan of criminal justice system processes. Key phases of the criminal justice system are reviewed from initial entry point (i.e. the reporting of sexual violation) to court hearings. This provides a useful platform from which o consider how things might be improved.

Part five (chapter 8) looks at the attrition of sexual violation cases within the criminal justice system and reviews survey participants’ views on the factors that might affect the reporting and successful prosecution of sexual violation offences.

Part six (chapter 9) brings together the key findings of this environmental scan and summarises them in relation to each of the research objectives.

The report concludes with a glossary of te reo Māori used in the report and references.

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2 Methodology

2.1 Research objectives

The environmental scan focused on systemic, organisational and other contextual factors that influence systems and agency responses to victim/survivors.

The objectives of the environmental scan were to identify key informants’ views on:

• factors influencing victim/survivors’ access to the criminal justice system and non-criminal justice services
• victim services’ capacity to meet victim/survivors’ needs, including gaps in services
• victim services’ views on what works to promote recovery and resilience
• the impact of location on victim/survivors’ ability to disclose sexual violation, particularly in respect of the level of services available locally, and have their needs met

• police and prosecutors’ views on attrition of recorded sexual violation offences and the effect of systemic, organisational and other contextual factors on investigating and prosecuting sexual violation offences.

 

 2.2 Survey instruments

The survey instruments were developed in consultation with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and reviewed by the project advisory group. Five surveys were developed, one for community service providers, one for DSAC RLDs, and three for criminal justice professionals (i.e. police, Crown prosecutors, and court victim advisers).⁶

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the New Zealand Police and Ministry of Justice progressively signed off the research instruments from mid-August to mid-September 2008.

 2.3 Ethical issues

An application for ethical approval for the survey was submitted to the Human Ethics Committee, Victoria University of Wellington. The committee granted ethics approval in June 2008.

The provisions of the Privacy Act 1993 with respect to confidentiality and methods of obtaining, storing and destroying information were adhered to. 

An information letter was included with the survey. The letter described the research and told potential participants about their right not to answer any questions and the confidential nature with which their responses would be treated. Participation was voluntary and informed consent was inferred from the return of a completed survey form. All surveys were sent out with a covering letter from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs that described the project and validated the survey.

 2.4 Samples

2.4.1 Identifying areas for survey distribution

Service agencies and key informants were targeted in areas that had courts that held jury trials and in which Crown solicitors were located.

2.4.2 Identifying key informants
The aim was to survey the agencies and key informants from around New Zealand that respond to victim/survivors of sexual violence. A list of possible survey respondents was developed with assistance from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs that included: 

• community service providers, such as specialist sexual violence agencies (SSVAs), women’s refuges, other generic victim support groups, and health professionals (e.g. counsellors and medical practitioners), and other advocacy and community groups
  

• criminal justice groups, such as police, judges, Crown prosecutors, and other court staff (e.g. court victim advisers).
  

Different strategies were used to identify and locate contact information for these groups.

On 21 May 2008 the Ministry of Women’s Affairs sent out an email message informing people on its workshop and hui (meeting) contact lists that the Crime and Justice Research Centre had been awarded the contracts for the sexual violence research. Any individual or organisation interested in taking part in the research was invited to communicate their interest to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. With permission, these details were then passed to the research team. This resulted in a small number of service provider and practitioner self-referrals.

Other community service providers that responded to victim/survivors were identified from lists of those who had participated in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ workshops and hui around the research, the national register of trauma recovery agencies (i.e. SSVAs), lists of generic community agencies that might respond to victim/survivors of sexual violence, the national register of the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, and lists of Māori community organisations.

Most criminal justice professionals were identified and accessed through the national office of their particular organisation; for example, police and court victim advisers.

An application was made to the Judicial Research Committee to include judges in the survey. The committee declined the request for ethical reasons.

 2.5 Recruitment strategies and response rates

Different recruitment methods were used to invite the different groups of key informants to participate in the scan. Recruitment methods included:

• a mass mail-out of surveys with a covering letter inviting those identified as responding to victim/survivors to participate
• a mail-out of surveys following an expression of interest by key informants (e.g. Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) counsellors, university health centres and sexual health clinics)
• the distribution of surveys by the national office of various organisations to eligible parties (e.g. police, court victim advisers, Victim Support, New Zealand Family Planning)

• the distribution of surveys through regional offices to eligible parties (e.g. Crown prosecutors); some offices elected for the survey to be distributed by email

• sending an extra 105 surveys to Māori community social/health services with a covering letter in te reo Māori (Māori language) from the research team in an attempt to boost the sample size of Māori providers.

 

Recruitment strategies were selected on the basis of what was practical, possible and appropriate for the different groups of informants.

Response rates for the different surveys are in Table 1. More than 1,300 surveys were distributed, so it was not practical to follow-up all non-respondents. However, to maximise response rates from groups with small numbers of possible participants (SSVAs, Family Planning, DSAC RLDs, and Crown prosecutors), up to three reminders were given (by email and/or telephone phone). These reminders improved response rates, particularly for the SSVAs.

In general, response rates overall were higher than the average expected rate for self-complete surveys.⁷ Response rates for the service provider survey ranged from almost 75 percent for SSVAs to about 10 percent for Māori service providers. Response rates for the criminal justice groups ranged from 68 percent for Crown prosecutors to 28 percent for police.

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Table 1: Response rate across different surveys or respondents

Survey or respondent	Number sent	Number received	Response rate (%)
Service provider survey Specialist sexual violence agencies Women’s refuges Victim support Mental health counselling services Medical services Māori providers Other advocacy and community groups Overall	38  47 54  113   29  105   32  418	27 11 42 66 15 10 8 179	71 23 78 58 521 10 25 43
Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care survey	22	10	46
Police survey	7482	206	28
Crown prosecutor survey	703	46	65
Court victim adviser survey	53	17	32

Notes

1. This is likely to be an over-estimate, because it was unknown how many individual family planning offices were sent a survey.

2. A total of 874 Criminal Investigation Branch detectives were eligible to complete the survey, but 126 were out of the office during the survey period, leaving an initial sample of 748.

3. Information on the number of Crown prosecutors in each office who were eligible to complete a survey was incomplete. This number is an estimate based on the offices that supplied this information.

 

2.5.1 Characteristics of survey respondents

Table 2 shows the demographics of survey respondents and reflects typical characteristics of the different workforces.

Ninety-three percent of community service providers’ respondents were women, reflecting the high numbers of women who work in the social services. In contrast police work is male dominated. Police and Crown prosecutors were the only groups of respondents that had a greater representation of males (78 percent and 56 percent, respectively) than females. Police and Crown prosecutors also had the greatest representation of survey respondents who identified as New Zealand European (86 percent and 91 percent, respectively) rather than as other ethnicities. Community-based service respondents had the greatest representation of Māori across the different groups of respondents (18 percent).

More details on the characteristics of survey participants are in the main body of the report (see chapter 3 for community service providers’ characteristics and chapter 4 for criminal justice groups’ characteristics).

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Table 2: Survey sample characteristics

Characteristic	SP (n=179)			Police (n=206)		CP (n=46)		VA (n=17)		DSAC (n=10)
	n	%	n		%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Gender1
Male	10	6	160		78	24	56	1	6	2	20
Female	150	94	45		22	19	44	15	94	8	80
Age2
20–29	3	2	5		3	3	7	–	–	–	–
30–39	14	9	108		53	22	49	3	19	1	11
40–49	40	25	80		39	12	27	5	31	4	44
50–59	67	42	9		4	7	16	6	38	3	33
60 and over	35	22	1		1	1	2	2	13	1	11
Ethnicity3
NZ European	114	71	175		86	41	91	12	75	7	78
Māori	29	18	13		6	2	4	2	13	–	–
Pacific	2	1	4		2	1	2	–	–	–	–
Other4	15	9	12		6	1	2	2	13	2	22

Notes: CP = Crown prosecutor; DSAC = Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care; SP = service provider; VA = court victim adviser. Percentages should be interpreted with caution because base numbers are low. 

1. Data on gender were missing for 24 respondents (SP n=19; Police n=1; VA n=1; CP n=3).

2. Data on age were missing for 26 respondents (SP n=20; Police n=3; CP n=1; VA n=1; DSAC n=1).

3. Data on ethnicity were missing for 24 respondents (SP n=19; Police n=2; CP n=1; VA n=1; DSAC n=1).

4. ‘Other’ includes Chinese, English, Irish, Australian, and New Zealander.

 

2.6 Methodology for Māori

Response rates for Māori service providers were low – less than 10 percent. This low response rate means the views of Māori service providers cannot be comprehensively represented in the survey findings. Comments from Māori providers and Māori advisers suggested that the generic nature of the data collection method did not allow for more appropriate methods to be used with Māori participants. It was felt the postal survey method and content did not encourage Māori interest and participation and did not reflect the way Māori organisations, particularly kaupapa Māori services (services based on Māori philosophies and practices), conduct their mahi (work). Hui or focus group interviews with Māori services probably would have increased participation rates, and appropriate cultural terms of engagement would have inspired greater involvement from the whole community and all services. A postal survey tends to be individualistic in approach and utilisation. A kaupapa Māori research method takes a more holistic approach and incorporates a broader whānau (extended family) perspective, which would have reflected the aims and aspirations of Māori services more accurately.

Māori services’ staff and resources are often stretched, with their priorities dedicated to their core business. Participating in this research project may not have been considered a high priority by Māori services. Some kaupapa Māori services distrusted the research kaupapa, agenda and process, which related to historical grievances about mainstream research with Māori. Some providers indicated they would have had a greater interest and investment in the project had their partnership and participation been sought to a greater extent in the initial stages of the project’s development.

Given that a relatively low number of Māori services participated in this study, it may be advisable for future research to be undertaken regionally with Māori. This research would need to involve local iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes) and Māori services in the design, implementation and analysis of the research. This would ensure a kaupapa Māori or Māori research-centred approach would be used, which would maximise local buy-in, increase recruitment rates, and ensure culturally appropriate research.

2.7 Data analysis

Surveys were structured and included predominantly questions with tick-box options for answers. Some open-ended questions were included to allow survey respondents more flexibility in their responses.

Quantitative data were entered into a Microsoft Excel 2003 spreadsheet for checking, and then imported into SPSS software for analysis. Frequencies were produced for numerical data. Thematic analysis of qualitative data (e.g. the responses to open-ended questions) was limited, but where such data existed they were coded around key themes. Quotations from respondents are used to illustrate these themes throughout the report.

2.7.1 Presentation of results
Where appropriate, data were analysed by the 12 New Zealand Police districts to maintain consistency and comparability of results (see Figure 1).

Data presented in tables are usually self-explanatory, but, at times they are summarised in the body of the report. In general, throughout the report data have been presented as percentages. Raw data have been reported where the numbers involved are very small and it is misleading to report percentages, except with some comparisons across groups when it was easier to use percentages. Note too that base numbers in tables vary, because the number of respondents who answered each question varies. (For example, questions were not always applicable, comments were voluntary, and respondents could choose not to respond.)

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Figure 1: Police districts (12) used for regional analysis

 

2.8 Limitations of the research

Three caveats should be noted in relation to the findings from this research.

First, we were reliant on community service providers (i.e. SSVAs, Women’s Refuge), individuals (e.g. ACC counsellors) and criminal justice professionals completing and returning the surveys. Therefore, the views of key informants that we describe may not be typical of all those within a particular sector. Those who returned the completed survey might have been positively or negatively influenced in one way or another by the degree and nature of their experiences and views.

Second, this research focuses on the needs of victim/survivors of sexual violence. Therefore, the findings do not present a complete picture of the process; they exclude the views of those who work predominantly with the perpetrator, such as defence lawyers.

Third, the sampling of criminal justice sector agencies is incomplete, because we were unable to obtain the views of judges.

 

Footnotes

4. The term ‘victim/survivor’ has been used to reflect that experiencing sexual violence is an act of victimisation that must be acknowledged as such. However, being victimised does not mean those raped should have to assume the ‘victim’ label with all its negative connotations; conversely, survival is neither assured nor necessarily immediately apparent: some women may always deem it a ‘work in progress’ (Mossman et al., 2009a: 7).

5. ‘Sexual violence’ is a broad term that covers a continuum of sexual offending behaviours. The focus of this review is on services for victim/survivors specifically of ‘sexual violation’. For the purposes of this review, we have used the legal definition of sexual violation from section 128 of the Crimes Act 1961, which covers rape and unlawful sexual connection. However, we have used the two terms ‘sexual violence’ and ‘sexual violation’ interchangeably.

6. Separate surveys were developed for each group to take into account the different type and timing of contact each group has with victim/survivors. For example, Crown prosecutors have contact only with victim/survivors whose case goes to trial, while community service providers are the only group that works with the victim/survivors who might not have reported their assault to police. Where possible, core questions were included to allow for comparisons across all groups.

7. Oppenheim (1992) puts the response rate for postal surveys at less than 40 percent.

 

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Disclaimer

This report was commissioned by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in the report are intended to inform and stimulate wider debate. They do not represent government policy.
 

Published in September 2009
by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs | Minitatanga Mō Ngā Wāhine
PO Box 10 049, Wellington, 6143, New Zealand
Phone: 0064 4 915 7112
Fax: 0064 4 916 1604
Email: mwa@mwa.govt.nz
Website: www.mwa.govt.nz

ISBN 978-0-478252-45-3 (Print)
ISBN 978-0-478252-46-0 (Digital)