1986 - 1995
Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support is here to empower victims on their journeys to safety, healing, and justice. Learn more about our vision for victims, the values that drive us and the important milestones in our history.
Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support is here to walk alongside and empower victims on their journeys to safety, healing, and participation, putting them and their needs at the heart of the justice system.
Our purpose
To strengthen the mana, belonging, and well-being of people affected by crime, trauma, and suicide in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our vision
Victims receive support at every step of their journey, 24/7, with heart.
Our mission
We support and empower victims to be safe, heal, and participate at every step of their journey.
We are here to support and care for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Wrapping support, hospitality, and care around others binds us together.
Manaaki Tāngata is represented in the koru design used throughout our digital and printed material. This was gifted to us from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei with symbolism to Te korowai o Manaaki Tāngata (the cloak of Victim Support) wrapped around clients, their family, whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities that we've worked with or supported.
We do this by symbolically using the korowai (cloak) to embrace people with warmth, care and support, adhering to our values.
Te tohu o te rangatira, he manaaki. The sign of a chief is manaakitanga.
Respect, generosity and care for others to strengthen the mana of victims, representing the many aspects of support we provide to victims across their tapa whā.
He hono he tangata e kore e motu - kāpā he taura waka e motu. Connections between people cannot be severed - whereas those of a canoe-rope can.
Our relationships and our connections to each other, woven together by what we share – representing Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support as a whānau woven together by our shared experiences.
Rangatiratanga mō tātou katoa i runga i ngā tikanga o tēnā, o tēnā, o tēnā. Self-determination for each of us springs from our own unique will.
Self-determination of individuals and peoples – representing the empowering of victims and whānau and respecting their right to choose their own path.
Mā te kotahitanga e whai kaha ai tātauā. In unity we have strength.
Unity, togetherness and collective action – representing our shared commitment to Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support’s mission, vision and purpose.
Hauā te waka tapa i reira. Hauā te kai tapa i reira. Hangā te whare kii e te whāinga. Here lies the waka anchored at the edge. Here is the kai prepared for the people. Build your whare and lay forth the rituals within the whare.
Guardianship and responsibility - representing our commitment to uphold the safety, well-being and rights of those we support.
1986 - 1995
First Victim Support office opened in Gisborne by former Police Officer Kevin Joblin.
New Zealand Parliament passed the Victims of Offences Act and created a Victims Task Force to develop guidelines and assess existing services and gaps.
Pilot projects established in Porirua and Hamilton to gain a better understanding of victims and victims services in New Zealand.
Joyce Fallon appointed New Zealand’s first full-time Victim Support Coordinator by the Porirua Victim Support Group.
New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups formed and out of this, the emergence national standards and a code of practice.
Inaugural AGM for the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups held.
Victims Task Force wound up and National Office of New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups established.
First full-time Chief Executive for Victim Support appointed.
1997-2002
First nationally co-ordinated crisis response to support victims and families of the tragic shooting of six people at Raurimu.
0800 VICTIM (842 846) crisis line launched.
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Victim Support and New Zealand Police.
Results of referendum on law and order lays the platform for victims' rights in the new millennium.
Victim Incident Information System (VIBIS) goes live at Gisborne Conference.
Victim Notification Register set up.
Restorative justice conferences and Victims Court Advisers scheme introduced.
Passing of the Victims’ Rights Act 2002 steers Victim Support to a new strategic direction transitioning from crisis intervention to comprehensive support, helping victims from the time of crisis right through the court and parole process to eventual ‘recovery’.
2004 - 2014
National structure established to grow and strengthen Victim Support’s operational capability to meet the needs of victims throughout New Zealand.
Partnerships with New Zealand Police, Ministry of Justice, Department of Corrections, Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Youth Affairs were forged to ensure the ongoing viability and sustainability of our work.
Suicide postvention service in Canterbury/Tasman, Eastern and Greater Auckland provided through contract with Ministry of Health.
Kaiwhakahaere Māori appointed to implement Māori strategy across Aotearoa.
Te Whare Tapa Whā adopted as model for Support Worker training, taking a holistic approach to spiritual, physical, emotional and whānau well-being.
Victim Support’s Contact Service established providing 24/7 support to victims as a first port of call and triage point for non-crime and traumatic event victims.
Extended homicide service established.
VIVA incident management system launched.
Suicide postvention service rolled out nationally.
Ministry of Justice provides funding for a specialist Homicide Support pilot programme in Auckland and Canterbury.
Victim Support is recipient of Mitre 10 Community of the Year Award.
2015 - 2020
Victim Support launches Victim of Crime Information Line in partnership with Ministry of Justice.
Victim Support Contact Service crosses 100,000 inbound calls in a single year for the first time.
Victim Support's specialist family violence capability grows with teams working closely with Police and Women’s Refuge in Cantebury, Waikato, Counties-Manukau and Auckland.
Victim Support celebrates its 30th anniversary drawing together key partners, Local Group Committees, staff and founding members at Parliament.
NZQA approved Level 5 Diploma in Health and Well-being Applied Practice launched, formally recognising high-quality training provided to Support Workers.
New partnership between Victim Support, Oranga Tamariki and the New Zealand Police launched to support victims through the Family Group Conference (FGC) process for youth offenders.
Never Alone regular giving programme launched.
Victim Support provides support to victims and families of the terror attacks on two mosques in Christchurch raising $14 million for their recovery through an emergency appeal.
Victims Voices: The justice needs and experiences of New Zealand serious crime victims, published by Victim Support gives victims a bigger voice in the Government’s justice reforms.
Homicide service rolled out nationally with appointment of a National Homicide Manager and a network of dedicated, specialist Homicide Support Workers.
