Ruby Beck and Veronica Hearn are working with the Dunedin Collaboration Against Family Violence (DCAFV) to raise awareness about flatting violence, an issue that does not receive a lot of publicity, as part of their occupational therapy course.
''It's not a new concept but it's something that is newly recognised. The main cases we've heard about are threatening behaviour - people get singled out and feel victimised, and it's not always as simple as just moving out,'' Miss Beck said.
Otago University Student Association student support manager Philippa Keaney said conflict within flats was common.
''It can be quite low level and it can also escalate to violence - there can be physical violence. There's a lot of behaviours around isolating or alienating a certain person, people ganging up on someone, we see a lot of that,'' Ms Keaney said.
The types of behaviour demonstrated by flatmates included; refusing to cook with someone, walking out of the room when they walked in, berating someone and putting them down, and personal taunts and slurs, she said.
''It's really unfortunate that often people sign up for flats far too early. We have cases where people in residential colleges have a bunch of mates and they think it's going to be great and sign up for a flat - then even before the year is out they're no longer great friends but they're locked in.''
DCAFV family violence response co-ordinator Rob Thomson said conflicts involved with flatting were an issue for many people, not just students.
''That period of life, when people have left home, is a time when they can practise what they have learnt growing up in their own families about relationships and how families work - then they go out and that's how they operate when they start their own families.''
Otago Polytechnic Student Association student services manager Lesley Scoullar said issues within flats were often caused by people coming from different backgrounds with different ideas about how a household should operate.
''They've got to sit down and have a flat meeting to start with and work out the rules.''
Miss Beck and Miss Hearn are holding an event at 6pm on Thursday night at the Otago Polytechnic Learning Link H Block to raise awareness about flatting violence.
