This poster explores the issue of domestic violence between partners in regards to victims and perpetrators in New Zealand. Controlling and abusive behaviour is caused by an imbalance in power between partners. This is a sizeable issue with one in three New Zealand women experiencing physical violence from their partners in their lives. Within New Zealand domestic violence cases, men are predominately the perpetrators holding 65% of the power in relationships. On the other hand, females tend to be the victims holding approximately 25%. This power imbalance is partially impacted by New Zealand’s legal system holding 10% of the power. The favourable dynamic would be for men and women to both hold equal power in relationships. By both holding 40% of the power, it would reduce domestic violence between partners.  Equal power would mean economic partnership, non-threatening behaviour, respect, trust, support, honesty, accountability and shared responsibility. Furthermore, the legal system should hold more power totalling 20% as they are an external stakeholder responsible for restoring power imbalances between victims and perpetrators.

This poster visualises a co-design process which supports equality between partners to reduce domestic violence in New Zealand. This will be achieved through workshops exploring the discovery, immersion, alignment, ideation, testing, refining, reviewing, and adapting phases. The primary stakeholders in this co-design process will be male perpetrators, female victims and representatives of the New Zealand legal system. These workshops will include visual, creative, expressive, reflective, storytelling and fun methods. These techniques will build participants capabilities to explore each stakeholder’s values. This allows them to be empathetic and understanding towards each of their positions. This mutual knowledge can allow participants to work in participatory ways and design an outcome which restores power imbalances in relationships and benefits all stakeholders.