More women opt for refuge help

Despite the grim picture the numbers paint, there is a positive side to Whangarei's two women's refuges being consistently full during October.
A doubled workload in October compared with October last year is a sign domestic violence campaigns are working, say managers at Te Puna O Te Aroha Maori Women's and Tryphina Women's Refuges. Combined, the refuges took in 80 referrals last month compared with 41 for the corresponding month last year.
That increase does not include the long hours staff and volunteers spend on giving out information and support over the refuges' 24-hour crisis phone lines. Nor does it reflect that most of the refuges' work is carried out in the homes of at-risk families, helping women cope through situations they could not easily pack up and leave.
The upside of the increase in women seeking help is that it indicates the national Campaign for Action on Family Violence, launched in September, is kicking in, Nadene Devonshire from Te Puna O Te Aroha believes.
"The increase may be part of a ripple effect, where people are becoming more aware about reporting violence, and less likely to adopt an attitude that it is none of their business. The end result is more demand for services at our local level," Ms Devonshire said.
Women's Refuge is one of the non-government organisations on the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families, which initiated a Campaign for Action on Family Violence.
Tryphina House Women's Refuge co-ordinator Robyn Blumsky said the rise in referrals could be a signal families and communities were ready to step forward and show violence was unacceptable.
Families, friends, neighbours and workmates could do their part to ensure other families lived free from physical and psychological abuse, she said.
"Abusers will begin to get a strong message from our community that ... their behaviour will not be tolerated or kept hidden."
Whangarei and Kaipara police commander Inspector Paul Dimery said police were aware incidents of domestic violence had in the past been under-reported.
That situation was changing.
"We are getting to the point where people just don't tolerate domestic violence," he said.
"We make sure we report any call-outs as fully as possible so we have the best possible data when it comes to dealing with and helping reduce domestic violence."
Copies of all reports were sent to the women's refuges, he added.
There had long been a misconception in society that family violence was a problem in certain communities, he said. "But it's right across the board, and there's huge stigma involved which also affects how much it's reported."
The crisis lines are open all hours. Women can call Te Puna O Te Aroha Ma Women's Refuge on (09) 437 2127, or Tryphina House Women's Refuge on (09) 437 6576.