Waikato Police are urging people suffering from the effects of domestic violence to get help, before its too late following the stabbing of a woman at a rural property near Tahuna overnight.
Sergeant Vic Sneddon of the Te Aroha Police said emergency services were called to the rural property about 9pm and were initially told a woman had been stabbed during a home invasion by an offender who was looking for jewellery.
"The 111 call was made by the 26-year-old woman's husband who claimed he had returned home to find his wife injured, it wasn't until she was being transported to Waikato Hospital with 13-14 knife wounds that she felt safe enough to reveal her husband was the attacker."
The woman's most serious injury was a punctured lung and she underwent surgery at Waikato Hospital overnight.
Mr Sneddon said the address was known to Police in relation to domestic matters and that the victim was lucky not to have suffered more serious injuries or even worse.
"In situations such as this Police urge anyone who finds themselves in an unhealthy home environment to seek help.
"That help could come from family, Police, Women's' Refuge or the multitude of other government and non-government organisations dedicated in helping people suffering from family violence."
Mr Sneddon said on average a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner in New Zealand every five weeks and about 10 children die in domestic violence incidents every year.
"There were young children at this address where the incident occurred.
"We treat domestic violence extremely seriously and work closely with partner agencies to reduce the risk of such incidents occurring but we can't do it alone and we can't take action in relation to incidents we don't know about, the key thing is to let someone know."
The cornerstone of the Domestic Violence Act is the Protection Order but earlier this year Police Safety Orders were introduced which is another useful tool but Mr Sneddon said none of these options could be used to help victims unless they sought help.
A scene guard was in place at the address overnight and a forensic examination of the property will take place today.
The woman's husband was arrested and charged with assault overnight and further charges are likely.
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