Women’s Refuge housing already full for Christmas
Palmerston North’s Women’s Refuge safe house and emergency accommodation have been swamped with an unexpected rush of women and their families before Christmas.
Palmerston North Women’s Refuge manager Danielle Berry said women usually came to the safe house after the festive period, but this year there would be a full safe house over Christmas. She is unsure why demand for the refuge’s services are so high.
Berry said the safe house was usually full during January and February, as opposed to during the Christmas period itself.
The safe house has five rooms, with three beds in each room. This year 144 people have used the refuge’s safe house, with 2626 bed nights shared between them.
Emergency housing, which includes nine standalone threebedroom houses, is also at capacity. Hotels and motels in the city are also all booked out.
Berry said the refuge needed more housing.
‘‘There’s so many families in motels at the moment, it’s ridiculous.’’
Palmerston North police family harm co-ordinator Doug Patrick said it was common for police to have an increase in calls related to domestic violence during the festive season.
Last December, police responded to an average of 364 domestic disputes a month.
Patrick said family harm incidents accounted for 40 per cent of callouts that frontline staff dealt with.
Gail Wood, from Manawatu¯ Abuse Intervention Network, said family harm was often at its worst during Christmas time due to a variety of pressures.
‘‘Christmas can put a lot of pressure on families financially, combined with excessive alcohol consumption and historical family issues that have not been resolved.’’
Patrick described these pressures as a ‘‘very volatile mix’’.