Women's Refuge in Whangārei is working across three separate locations to ensure they are able to continue helping victims of family harm. Photo / File
Women's Refuge in Whangārei is working across three separate locations to ensure they are able to continue helping victims of family harm. Photo / File
Northland's Women's Refuge staff are having to think outside the box as their safe houses hit capacity but calls for help continue to pour in.
They say there are cases of women and children bravely fleeing their homes with nothing, but many still feel they cannot leave their abusive householdsbecause of lockdown.
Rules dictate people unsafe or experiencing violence in their homes can leave their bubble regardless of the alert level.
Jodie Harris, team leader of Women's Refuge Tryphina House, said lockdown had exacerbated feelings of isolation and dwindled what help and support was available for victims of family harm.
"One woman that I spoke with yesterday had left with her children and all had slept in their car as they were too afraid to return to the address or impose on family, who are already fearful of both her partner and catching the Delta strain of Covid."
Around 30 calls a day were made to the Whangārei service by women seeking help.
Harris said the strict lockdown made women feel trapped in their homes - cut off from safe places or people relied on when warning signs appear or abuse intensifies at home.
Staff on the frontline of family harm say lockdown has exacerbated feelings of isolation, as well as narrowed the pathways available to victims to seek help. Photo / File
However, the current need for the service was in line with referral numbers from this time last year.
Dargaville domestic violence and sexual abuse service, SOS Kaipara, hadn't experienced a surge in demand since lockdown started.
But service manager Pushpa Joyce said clients described feeling high levels of distress and isolation because of the added pressures level 4 generated.
Whiria Te Muka - a police/Te Hiku Iwi Development Trust partnership based in Kaitaia - dealt with 19 reports of family harm in the first week of lockdown.
Erena Hodgkinson, Kaiwhakapā for Whiria Te Muka, said 69 individuals - including 25 people aged under 16 - were impacted by the incidents.
Back in Whangārei, Tryphina's two safe houses had hit capacity. Risks attached to Delta meant three out of four of their alternative accommodation avenues were unavailable.
"This has meant that staff have needed to be a little more creative in safety planning," Harris said.
Refuge staff were now working from three separate locations to provide safe accommodation, emergency supplies – such as food, cellphones and clothing - transport, health needs, legal matters, access to benefits, and more, work that would continue regardless of alert levels, Harris said.
The team also created safety plans for women locked down with abusive partners, those who had left, and others who may need to leave.
In the Far North, Whiria Te Muka continued to reach out to whānau in the 24 to 48-hours immediately after a 111 call about family harm was made.
Te Rarawa chairperson Haami Piripi said the "well-established" high socio-economic deprivation in Te Hiku ō Te Ika continued to spur on intergenerational harm within communities.
"And so, the environment and circumstances that these living conditions present express those disparities in the effective necessities of wellbeing."
Their team of police, and iwi kaimahi worked hard to address intergenerational harm "as quickly as we can, because the longer it goes the worse it will get", Piripi said.
According to Harris, lockdown had hamstrung alternative opportunities for intervention in family harm as face-to-face appointments were paused.
Doctors, counsellors, and other professionals were trained to detect signs of abuse and intervene.
Feelings of stress, anxiety, grief, and trauma intensified during lockdowns with some people turning to drugs and alcohol to cope.
Harris said finances, educating children, increased demands within the home, and the severity of Delta were the stresses and fears reported by clients.
Alcohol and methamphetamine often escalated the intensity and frequency of physical violence and abuse women's refuge staff encountered in their work.
"We have definitely seen an increase in families asking for referrals to alcohol and drug counselling services and also a large number of requests to be referred to specialist counselling services in particular for grief counselling, rape, and sexual abuse," she said.
The top "triggers" reported in Te Hiku's 19 family incidents were relationship issues and alcohol consumption.
Whatever the circumstances, "violence is never the answer", Harris said.
With lockdown having stalled the refuge's usual collection of practical donations – tinned food, linen, and blankets – people can still help by donating to their Givealittle page.
FAMILY VIOLENCE - WHERE TO GET HELP For anyone experiencing family violence, worried about their own abusive behaviour, or supporting someone else in these situations:
• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111, push 55 if it's not safe to talk
• Shine Helpline – now 24/7: 0508 744 633 OR chat online with Helpline staff at www.2shine.org.nz
• Are You OK - 9am to 11pm, every day: 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
• Women's Refuge – 24/7: 0800 733 843, 24/7 www.womensrefuge.org.nz (for women only) or tryphinas@tryphina.org.nz
For anyone worried about their own abusive behaviour:
• 0800 Hey Bro: 0800 439 276 - 24/7 (for men who feel they're going to harm a loved one or whanau member) www.hewakatapu.org.nz/services/0800-hey-bro
For anyone who experiences sexual harm:
• Safe to Talk – 24/7 (sexual harm helpline): 0800-044-334 OR text 4334 – 24/7. Chat online at www.safetotalk.nz
• Access help online via the Shielded Site icon. It can be found on major websites across New Zealand at the bottom of the page. When users click the icon they are taken to a portal that puts them in touch with Women's Refuge - without leaving a digital footprint.
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE DO NO HARM.
Always assume that an abusive partner is hearing or seeing your communication, and avoid alerting them that you know or suspect the abuse.
If you need advice about how to help someone you are concerned about, ring one of the family violence helplines listed above for advice.
Help keep their phone topped up or leave a spare phone in a safe place they can access it
