Editorial: Let's support Women's Refuge

Linda Hall, Assistant Editor, Hawke's Bay Today.

Monday is the beginning of the annual Women's Refuge Awareness and Appeal Month.

This week it was revealed that there was an increasing number of domestic violence incidents being reported.

I've heard some people say it's a good thing because it means more people are reporting the abuse.

I hope that's true but the cynic in me is not so sure.

The numbers are scary. According to the Women's Refuge website one in three New Zealand women will experience some form of abuse within their relationship. It is one of our most serious social issues.

As our population increases there's an increase in almost everything good and bad. More talent, a wider pool of skilled labour to choose from but on the other hand there's more crime and more abuse.

So that would account for some of it but there's also an ever-increasing number of people struggling to make ends meet. That causes tension which in turn causes people to lash out at those nearest.

There's also so many more people addicted to drugs, drugs that alter the way people think and behave.

Methamphetamine is a huge problem in Hawke's Bay. There are people in our community -former addicts themselves - trying to address this and I think the more we talk about it and bring it out in the open the better.

The same goes for domestic violence - the more talk the better. Women's Refuge remains a safe haven for women and children. It does an amazing job and deserves the community's full support.

Funds raised in this year's campaign will go toward the costs for services that Refuge provide for children.