Established in 1983, HVWR is one of forty women’s refuges affiliated to the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, the primary family violence organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We believe that everyone deserves to live free from violence and our purpose and vision drive towards this aim. Our brilliant staff team and volunteers operate alongside a sister Māori refuge, Kokiri Marae Māori Women’s Refuge, in the Hutt Valley, providing crisis and support services to women and children who are impacted by family violence. We work to create safety and improved wellbeing. Both refuges operate across all suburbs across Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Wainuiomata and Petone.
The women and their children accessing our HVWR services are drawn from diverse tauiwi groups, including a significant number from Pasifika communities.