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WESNET
Worries for Women & Children in Domestic Violence: will they get
the help they need?
On
the 24th July, the Commonwealth government will re launch the
‘Australia Says No’ campaign. Television and cinema advertisements
will run for two weeks, identifying violent relationships and offering
help via a national phone line.
“I
really worry about this additional layer to the help system,”
said Pauline Woodbridge, National Chair of WESNET. “When a woman
calls in to the national number, she is given another number to call,
the number of an existing Statewide help line, who can then make the
referrals to a service close to where she is. The extra layer of
accessing urgent help could deter the victim or place her in more
danger.”
“When
this campaign was run in 2004, refuges and domestic violence services
were told by women looking for help, of many incidences of
inappropriate or just plain wrong information being given to them, as
they tried to get to a place of safety for themselves and their
children”, said Julie Oberin, WESNET Victorian representative.
“The
refuge system, funded by SAAP (Supported Assistance Accommodation
Program) is inadequately funded” said Lindy Edwards, WESNET
Queensland
representative. “The government’s own report stated that SAAP
was operating to capacity and needed a 15% funding increase just to
maintain current levels”.
“Turning
women and children away from our services is the hardest thing for
workers to do”, said Pauline Woodbridge. “We need an
overall increase in funding so we can provide services to growing
numbers of women and children who need it and the TV campaign will
bring more to our doors. Where will they go? A large amount of money
is being spent on this campaign, where is the money for the
services?”
“The
domestic violence and sexual assault sector should have been consulted
and the best ways to respond to the terrible levels of violence
against women should have been planned and funded” said Shirley
Slann, WESNET Indigenous representative. “Instead we are
scrambling to ‘pick up the pieces’ and help women to find their
way to the places that can help them”.
For
media comment please contact
Pauline Woodbridge, National Chairperson, 0747 791 485
Julie Oberin¸ Victorian Representative, 0419 539 346
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