Refuge set out to make change

AWARENESS: Dr Ang Jury speaks about current projects. PHOTO: RENEE CLAYTON

Palmerston North Police respond to more than 40 domestic violence incidents every week but the Women's Refuge believes this is only 15 to 20 per cent of what's going on in our community.

Women's Refuges chief executive officer, Dr Ang Jury, spoke of this concern as she addressed the Palmerston North Rotary Club at their recent meeting.

She said domestic violence was on the rise - last year 104,000 families across the country were visited and the police received calls every six to seven minutes each day.

Dr Jury said the Government had paid attention to the issue and the refuge was starting to see some of their initiatives come to fruition.

"We have a new pilot going on at the moment where police are able to offer victims the opportunity to give a verbal or video statement on their iPhone on the spot instead of going into the station. This is now accepted by the courts as evidence."

She said the courts found value in being able to see what was happening right there and then.

"There is a whole range of stuff that the Government is working on, but we do fear that even though this Government is committed, the next may let it slide. It requires absolute long term commitment."

At the moment Women's Refuge and other groups are looking into ways they can make a difference on a national level, including focusing on more of an investment approach and providing safe havens.

These safe havens would give women a chance to gain knowledge and tools to set realistic dreams and goals.

Dr Jury said to reach these goals, Women's Refuges across the country would need to collaborate.