Waiariki Women’s Refuge director Sarah Small is worried about the future of their four safe houses. Photo / Andrew Warner
Waiariki Women’s Refuge director Sarah Small is worried about the future of their four safe houses. Photo / Andrew Warner
Four women’s refuge safe houses are at risk of closing during a time of “massive need” in Rotorua.
Waiariki Women’s Refuge is calling on the community to help raise $50,000 to “help us keep the refuge going”.
Sarah Small, of the refuge, said she had “shed many tears” and felt anxious about the safe houses having to shut despite high demand for the service.
The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refugesmade the decision to disaffiliate the refuge in 2021 due to issues with the provision of services.
Waiariki Women’s Refuge wanted to take a “broader supportive approach” to help domestic violence victims but this did not fall within the remit of the national collective. However, Dr Ang Jury, Women’s Refuge chief executive said that the National Collective did not have any level of control over the activities of affiliate members.
Small, who started in the role last year, said the local not-for-profit organisation no longer received funding from the collective to run services and this put safe houses “at risk”, she said.
An open day fundraiser has been organised in response to the concern, with the refuge aiming to raise $50,000 for safe house operations. Small said the refuge would be grateful for whatever people could offer.
Money raised would “help us keep the refuge going” while it tried to secure other funding, she said.
An estimated 75 per cent of family violence incidents were not reported. That was reflected in the refuge’s experience, with an estimated two-thirds of referrals coming from women themselves, rather than other agencies.
Small said all four safe houses were at capacity and another three women were on the waiting list to move in.
“We need to scream from the rooftops to keep our family services open here in Rotorua.”
The refuge’s two paid staff and seven volunteers were “constantly busy”, working hard to ensure the safety of women and their children, she said.
The team also provided support through advocacy, advice and transitional housing.
“We know how important our work is for Rotorua, particularly given the high rates of family harm here,” she said.
Small urged residents to “rally around” the 35-year-old refuge so it did not have to drop crucial services.
Regular costs to run the safe houses included rent, 24-hour camera surveillance, power, internet, property maintenance and staffing.
Women and their children stayed in safe houses until their safety was no longer at risk. This was assessed on a “case-by-case” basis and could range from one week to months.
In the year to March, the refuge supported 72 women into safe housing.
Of this, about 50 women stayed in refuge accommodation while the remainder went to other safe locations - including emergency accommodation.
Small said she would also share plans for a new collaboration to “take whānau safety to the next level” at the open day.
The refuge, which Small said now had a new board and management, wanted to offer a “24/7 accessible space” for whānau to have a break and access a range of support from frontline workers.
“It’s just getting off the ground at the moment and we are having conversations with like-minded organisations that work in the family harm space.”
Former Rotorua Lakes councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait. Photo / Andrew Warner
Former Rotorua Lakes councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait was chief executive of the national collective in the early 2000s and for more than 10 years she has sat on a Māori Reference Group for the elimination of family violence.
Raukawa-Tait said she would “hate to see” Rotorua without a service committed to eliminating domestic violence.
“It is stressful at the best of times let alone when financial pressures are being experienced. I know refuges do the very best they can with the funding they receive. It is however never enough to cover all their needs,” she said.
She was not concerned the refuge was no longer a part of the national collective, saying most wanted to “develop local solutions to their own problems”.
“There are other avenues to fund continuing their services. [It’s] time to get around the table, I think.”
Ministry of Justice acting general manager for provider and community services Hayley MacKenzie said it contracted 20 refuges to deliver safety programmes for adults and children covered by protection orders.
MacKenzie said 16 of those were affiliated with the national collective. The ministry did not contract with Waiariki Women’s Refuge, she said.
Ministry for Social Development general manager for safe strong families and communities, Mark Henderson, said it provided funding to the national collective, which allocated money to local affiliates across New Zealand.
This included safe houses operated by Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge.
Henderson said all applications for government funding were assessed on a “case-by-case” basis.
The open day will take place tomorrow from 10am to 3pm at 86 Pererika St and 1281 Hinemoa St. There will be garage sales at both locations and a sausage sizzle at Bunnings.
If you need help:
Waiariki Women’s Refuge: 24-Hour Crisis Line: 0800 WE R WWR
Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge: 24-Hour Crisis Line: 0800 REFUGE
Correction and clarification
An earlier version of this article stated the Waiariki Women’s Refuge became unaffiliated with the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges in late 2021 in order to expand its services. This was incorrect. The National Collective made the decision to disaffiliate the refuge due to its concerns over the provision of services. The National Collective also clarified that it did not have any level of control over the activities of affiliate members.
