Refuge needs help to give victims treat

Tauranga Women's refuge manager Angela Warren-Clark said Women's Refuge was only given funding for 107 women and children for their safe house. Photo / George Novak

For most, waking up on Christmas morning is an exciting event filled with laughter, presents and delicious food.

But for some women, it is a reminder they are in an abusive relationship.

This year Tauranga Women's Refuge is asking for help to make the Christmas season a little more special for women and children who have suffered from domestic violence.

The refuge will put on a Christmas fun day for clients, in an undisclosed location, where they can enjoy food, have fun and receive a gift.

Last year they had more than 40 people at the event. This year they are expecting more than 50.

Tauranga Women's refuge manager Angela Warren-Clark said the refuge was fundraising for the event and was asking for community support.

"If they [clients] come in for three days or if they come in for three months, that is all we get funding for."

She said Women's Refuge was only given funding for 107 women and children for their safe house but they would usually have more clients than that.

"Ten is the max at any one time but we do go over that limit because women who come in refuge are often at the last straw. They have exhausted all other means - their friends and family."

This Christmas Ms Warren-Clark said they were appealing to the Tauranga community to donate small presents.

"We are always getting lots of things for little girls but we need stuff for children from from 8 to 16. Those children, they are often the ones who are trying to help their mums out the most."

Tauranga Women's Refuge children's facilitator Leonio Cairns said numbers had increased because the refuge had been running 12-week programmes for children - witnesses of domestic violence.

Since it had been running, client numbers in the programme had doubled, she said.

Wendy Bryan, safe house co-ordinator, said the shelter was normally full over the Christmas period.

"If it's full like that, it's really sad but we provide them with Christmas presents, they cook a meal together but they are not allowed to have family around because the safe house is confidential."

Often a family would go home to their own family for the day and then come back for the night.

"The emotion of it, is they are actually safe but it's not a nice place to be at Christmas. It's sad, they get up and know they are safe but they don't want to be there.

"The kids can bounce off the walls because they have presents but for the mums it's really an awful time. Normally Christmas Day is a happy day when there isn't a lot of violence, so they miss the good stuff."

Mrs Bryan said there was a wide range of clients who used the refuge facilities.

"We have people across the board, we have lawyers, we have nurses, teachers, professional women they don't come into the safe house because they do have enough funds to go to a motel or what ever but they still come in and use us as a community client."

How they can help

Tauranga Women's Refuge provides advocacy, information and support to women and their children experience Domestic Violence (Physical, Psychological and Emotional) - Need help? CALL 0800 TO REFUGE (0800 86 733 843) today.