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Story: Child abuse

Deaths of children due to assault, 1948–2018

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This graph charts child deaths between 1948 and 2018 where the underlying cause of death was assault. This data is for children aged under 15. The trend is volatile (it frequently moves up and down sharply) due to the relatively small number of deaths.

To determine cause of death, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and its predecessor agencies reviewed death certificates, the health history of the deceased, and coroners’ determinations. All deaths where someone has died unexpectedly, violently or in suspicious circumstances are referred to a coroner. Coroners often take two years or longer to officially determine a cause of death. Significant delays can occur in providing recent annual data, as Te Whatu Ora does not make mortality data publicly available until most deaths in a year have been assigned a cause of death, to ensure the data is relatively complete.

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, mortality data, 2024

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Bronwyn Dalley, Child abuse – Rates of child abuse, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/30527/deaths-of-children-due-to-assault-1948-2018 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bronwyn Dalley, published 26 April 2011.