Wairarapa refuge ready to help

Help is at hand over the holiday season at the Wairarapa Women's Refuge.

With families under added financial stress during the holiday season, women's refuge staff are reminding couples to take time out if things get too much.

The refuge is prepared in case it is needed during the New Year holiday period.

Wairarapa Women's Refuge manager and crisis counsellor Lyn Buckley said every festive season was different - some years they were needed to help a woman and her children in crisis and others they weren't needed at all.

Stress was caused by a multitude of reasons including lack of finances, alcohol consumption and overspending on the budget, she said.

"We are always prepared for whatever happens. I think people try to hold it together for the children at Christmas but they get under stress. Some years we are overflowing, others it is quiet."

The hardest time for couples - especially those struggling financially - was in the new year when the bills started arriving, Ms Buckley said.

"It's a lot more intense when the bills are coming in and the kids are home."

If things get too much, Ms Buckley said men needed to take stock and remove themselves from the situation before it got violent.

"Men need to take a walk and calm down," she said.

Women needed to walk away and concentrate on the children, she said. "That's what it's all about - the kids. Stop and think about the children because it does affect them."

If women find themselves in an abusive or violent situation and need help or a friendly ear during the festive break, they can call the Wairarapa Women's Refuge crisis line on (06) 377 1717.