Women?s violence on rise

A NATIONAL epidemic of violent young women has struck Wairarapa, says violence prevention counsellor John Snowden.
Mr Snowden, head of Te Whanau o Te Maungarongo Social Services, said an acknowledged rise across New Zealand in the number of violent young women attracting social service attention is now also being felt in Wairarapa.
"There's a lot more violent young women out there today ? and not just in Wairarapa ? it's chronic and epidemic," he said.
Mr Snowden blames the alarming trend of young violent women on the greater availability of alcohol and drugs, issues of low self-esteem and awareness, and " a lot more freedom now for younger females".
There's a massive need in Wairarapa for youth social work, but the problems are no worse here than anywhere, he says.
"But this is not just something we see with young females. Male violence is still a growing problem as well, especially among the teens. Protection orders usually have male respondents although they do sometimes work the other.
"Men are afraid they'll be laughed at if they take out an order ? so they don't ? and instead they become depressed and broken-spirited struggling along by themselves."
Te Whanau o Te Maungarongo has been operating in Wairarapa at Kuranui College and in Masterton since April after an invitation to widen their violence prevention services from several groups.
Mr Snowden said Te Whanau has a particular focus on Maori families although "we take on all comers" without regard to age, culture, or gender.
The organisation ? an approved community service and provider of stopping violence, domestic violence and parent information programmes ? has run educational and early intervention courses in Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Upper Hutt since gaining approval in 1998.
There are now about 20 people attending the programme at Kuranui College, he said, and another 11 in Masterton that range in age from 12 to 55 years old.
Te Whanau offers home-based social work support, individual, group, and relationship counselling, parent training and education, women's and men's support groups, and children and youth services.
Mr Snowden and his wife Puti work alongside a team of up to 10 counsellors with people referred through the courts and government agencies, he said, providing structured "sessions" based on an initial needs assessment and advised cost.
"But it's not about funding for us. The people pay nothing themselves, and we will extend the number of sessions given if there is a need at no extra charge. This is a problem we've seen where agencies and counsellors work at a cost per session and then disengage and the problem is supposed to be gone.
"That very rarely happens, although we're expected to work within the budget constraints of other organisations who dictate costs to us."
Mr Snowden said there are "plans on the horizon" that may include work with other colleges in the region.
"We know we're not going to change the world but if we see a person who stops going to prison or stops beating their wife and begins being a productive citizen ? if one little message sticks, one simple word ? then the attempt was more than worth it."