Astounding results from a decade of Massey University research

Massey University researchers worked alongside Gandhi Nivas for 10 years and undertook nine research projects, with astounding results.

A 2022 study found that Gandhi Nivas’s holistic response to family harm, mental health, and alcohol and other drugs crises means people are accepting specialist support when otherwise they might refuse it.

The five-year Massey study (January 1 2014 to December 31 2019) showed by working directly with the perpetrators of family violence, Gandhi Nivas was able to prevent almost 60% of the men taking part in the programme from reoffending.

Massey University’s initially evaluated the first year of Gandhi Nivas and uncovered some excellent results and qualitative analysis over two years showed some amazing shifts in clients’ behaviour. Other research includes the stories of women who experienced family harm and were supported by Gandhi Nivas and its counselling services.

A big thank you to Professor Paul Spoonley and the late Professor James Liu from Massey University who saw the value in this research. They teamed us up with Drs Mandy Morgan and Leigh Coombes who led the research with PhD and master’s students.

See the full list of Massey research below:

The first year at Gandhi Nivas: A preliminary statistical description

Establishing Gandhi Nivas: A process narrative of stakeholders’ experiences

Residents’ stories of violence and early intervention

Strength and dignity: Women’s stories of their hopes and aspirations after their family members’ residence at Gandhi Nivas (part 1)

Strength and Dignity: Women’s Stories of their Hopes and Aspirations after their family members’ residence at Gandhi Nivas (part 2)

Gandhi Nivas 2014–2019: A statistical description of client demographics and involvement in police recorded family violence occurrences

Gandhi Nivas: Stakeholder experiences of responding to clients involved in family violence and mental health crises

Narratives of complexity: Six case studies of Gandhi Nivas client police records

Men’s narratives of care in early intervention services

 

Photo caption from left: Professor Paul Spoonley, Theresa Gattung, Ranjna Patel and Dr Mandy Morgan

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Parliamentary launch of Massey University Results 30 June 2020

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What the statistics show

57.5%

Nearly 60% did not reoffend 

57.5% of previous offenders did NOT reoffend after engaging with the Gandhi Nivas service

92%

92% received help within 24 hours

92% of all men referred to Gandhi Nivas had help within 24 hours of their family harm incident

The Massey University researchers praised Gandhi Nivas for its rapid response to police referrals, the service’s high standard of community leadership, and its culturally appropriate services.

More from the Massey study

  • Men aged in their 20s and 30s are the predominant age group in Gandhi Nivas houses.

  • The majority of men are between 20 and 40 (55.98%), with almost 30% in the 20-29 age group.

  • 49.72% of men were not in employment at the time they resided at Gandhi Nivas

  • 95% of family harm incidents involved intimate partners and family members

  • 32% of men were the intimate partner of the victim, 30% were the parent, 20% were the child of the victim, and 7% were siblings.Of those involved in intimate partner violence, 69% were cohabiting.