Community violence

Learn what community violence is, helpful resources, and support services in the community.

If you or someone else are in immediate danger, call 111.  If you cannot speak, stay silent and press 55. View the Silent Solution PDF for more information.

What is community violence?

Community violence is violence – physical, sexual, psychological - between people who are not related and who may or may not know each other (acquaintances and strangers).

This includes bullying, cyberbullying, stalking, and harassment. This is outside of a close relationship and could be someone in your lecture, someone online, someone you work with, someone you’ve seen in town, or someone completely unknown to you.

Some behaviours are:

  • Hate incident occurs when behaviour demonstrates or is motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on an aspect of their identity. This can include disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race and nationality (biphobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism, and ableism). A hate incident becomes a hate crime when a crime is committed and is motivated by hostility or prejudice.
  • Physical violence and assault covers any situation where force is intentionally applied against another person. This can include indirect force such as throwing something, as well as an attempted assault.
  • Threats to kill or injure someone. This includes threats made verbally, by text, email, a letter, or any other method of conveying a threat.
  • Harassment in the community context, is when an acquaintance or stranger has committed the following acts on at least two separate occasions within 12 months: Following you, entering your property without permission, giving you offensive material, or doing something that makes you fear for your safety.
  • Harassment can also be unwanted or unjustified behaviour that is offensive or humiliating such as online/digital harassment, racial harassment and sexual harassment.
  • Bullying is a form of deliberate aggressive or threatening behaviour and can cause significant harm. It can be physical, verbal, social or online.
  • More information on sexual violence.

If you are being harassed by someone you do not have a relationship with, you can apply for a restraining order. 

Resources and safety planning

Safety planning

Informative resources

  • Victim Support - Resource Centre
  • Stop Hate UK - online hate resource hub
  • InsideOUT- resources, workshops, consulting, advocacy and support for anything concerning rainbow (LGBTQIA+) communities

Nationwide support

How to report to Police

If you would like information on talking to Police and the court process, see Victims Information.

Community Law is also available throughout New Zealand to provide free legal help.

Violence support