Unfortunately, due to funding cuts, a number of inner Sydney women's refuges are being forced to close - including one for young people. It appears there will be less than 3 girl only youth refuges in Sydney. Due to lack of funding, the current rate of turn-away at domestic violence refuges is one in every two women.
On top of this, there are 15 districts where no such services are available for women and children in need.
I won't pretend to know anything about what it's like to be in that situation, but even as an outsider looking in, surely this should be top priority for the Minister for Women? Why is nothing being done to stop the closures?
As a concerned citizen, if you live in NSW and feel the same way, please gather some signatures on the petition below and post in to the address on the top.
For those not inclined, be grateful you have never needed to flee for your life. For me, it's a matter of 'but for the grace of God, go I'. The usual frivolity and mayhem will resume this week....
That is just sad :(
ReplyDeleteMe xox
And wrong :(
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Yep!! My friend used to organise collections for them, and she's organised the petition. Just want to try and do something!!
DeleteSo very wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic that our tax-payer dollars go towards funding the drug/alcohol problems that cause the women to flee than to assisting the women who need help. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteThat is shocking. Thank you for making me aware. I will sign. x
ReplyDeleteIn Victoria they cut funding to TAFE then allocated the same amount of money to building a new prison... Money would have been better spent on education so people can get proper jobs and steer clear of crime. Priorities, people.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago, in a totally different life to the one I'm lucky enough to live now, I was one of those turned away. I was fortunate to not have any children in this situation, and accept that mothers were more needy, but it was hard. Maybe if I'd got help when I needed it, my head wouldn't have been so messy for so many years.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting this out there, Lydia.
Wow. Thanks for sharing such a personal story.
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ReplyDeleteNot that I don't agree with you, but I have read "How to blog & tweet without getting sued" and we know some of them are litigious....so erring on the side of caution. :)
DeleteThere's only one women's refuge here, it services the whole region..which is about 100,000 people, probably more. I watched Rosie Batty on Four Corners last night and it made me so angry/sad that there were so many gaps in the system that an innocent child was killed.
ReplyDeleteThere are NO refuges in the city I live in, something that used to crop up regularly as a "need" when I worked for the Council. But then Council thought the State should pay for it, who thought somebody else should pay for it, and so the buck kept getting passed.
ReplyDeleteI've stayed in one of these refuges myself as a 12 year old when my mum was fleeing a violent relationship, so I can attest personally to the great work they do.
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx
Again, thank you for sharing such a personal story.
DeleteThank you for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea the situation was so bad. I don't live in NSW so I guess I can't sign your petition but I have shared your post on my Facebook page.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I appreciate you helping spread the word.
DeleteThat is disgusting. Go you for spreading the word. It's so hard isn't it seeing so many amazing causes and cases being left out in the cold, I bet the government has lots of guns in its armory...
ReplyDeleteAmazing. I think it is horrible that anyone needy of any service is turned away. Generally it has taken a lot of confidence, strength and effort to ask for the help and to be denied it, is shocking.
ReplyDeleteTerrible and very sad. It's not something that should be taken away and ignored and it certainly is something that is important and we need more of :(
ReplyDeleteI will never understand constant cutting of things that HELP the world in favour of never ending funds to corporations, military and other areas that are not about local services, education and care. I hope there is a revers to the trend eventually.
ReplyDeleteJust before I finished work to have baby 1 a mens group home was shut in the area I worked. This brought the grand total of group homes/halfway house of any kind to zero. It was closed so the house could be sold as clearly profit over anything else.
ReplyDeleteShame on the whoever is responsible for this.
That is really sad. So upsetting that one election can have so many devastating impacts on our society. The stuff we have worked so hard to establish just axed. Gone. And for what greater good? Money?
ReplyDeleteLeanne @ Deep Fried Fruit
So sad for those that are in dire need for somewhere to turn. It is an absolutely shameful act by those in power.
ReplyDeleteThanks - this is something I feel very strongly about!
ReplyDeleteSince leaving the West, I haven't stayed in touch with the issues affecting the area - I had no idea about this.
ReplyDeleteThese places are crucial to the safety of women and children. Crucial.
I'm investing a great deal of time and money to get fit right now - it's costing me a bomb but I'm simply sacrificing in other areas to make it happen.
Doesn't ONE less junket between a few of the Pollies make sense to them? They will SAVE LIVES. They make me feel sick.
Excellent post Lydia!