A new report released by Shama Ethnic Women’s Trust, with the support of the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation, highlights significant barriers faced by ethnic and migrant women navigating Aotearoa New Zealand’s Family Court while seeking safety from family violence.
Titled Navigating Safety and Justice in Aotearoa New Zealand: Ethnic and Migrant Women’s Experiences Before, During and After the Family Court Following Disclosure of Family Violence, the report draws on the lived experiences of women and frontline practitioners across the country.
The research reveals that many ethnic and migrant women are not fully seen, heard, or understood by the justice system at one of the most critical moments of their lives—when they are trying to protect themselves and their children.
“This report shows that the issue is not just about service gaps or communication challenges,” says Silvana Erenchun Perez, Strategic Manager at Shama. “These are fundamental access to justice issues. When women cannot safely share their experiences or understand what is happening, justice becomes out of reach.”
Key findings
The report identifies systemic failures across all stages of the Family Court process—before, during, and after proceedings.
It highlights three interconnected issues:
- Women are not fully seen as individuals, with cultural context, trauma, and forms of coercive control often misunderstood or overlooked.
- Support systems are fragmented, leaving women to navigate complex legal, immigration, and social services alone.
- Immigration status is used as a tool of abuse, creating fear and preventing women from seeking help.
These barriers mean that many women are effectively denied meaningful access to justice, despite legal protections being in place.
A growing issue in a diverse Aotearoa
The report comes at a time when Aotearoa New Zealand is becoming increasingly diverse, with more than one in four people born overseas.
Despite this, ethnic and migrant women remain underrepresented in Family Court data and protection mechanisms—highlighting a gap between need and access.
A call for systemic change
The report outlines practical, evidence-informed recommendations, including:
- Improved access to qualified interpreters
- Mandatory cultural competency and trauma-informed training
- Better coordination between Family Court, immigration, and support services
- Reforms to visa pathways for survivors of family violence
“These changes are not optional,” says Erenchun Perez. “They are necessary to ensure that all women in Aotearoa can access safety and justice, regardless of their background or immigration status.”
From lived experience to action
Based on in-depth interviews with 22 women and insights from advocates, the report centres survivor voices to highlight how systems currently operate in practice—and where they are failing.
“Communities are already doing the work—supporting women, breaking silence, and creating safer spaces,” says Erenchun Perez. “Systems now need to respond in ways that are flexible, culturally safe, and grounded in real people’s lives.”
Launch and availability
The report will be officially launched in June 2026.
It is now available online and can be accessed via Shama’s website in this link
