Hunter Refuge Crisis
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday December 2, 1998
ABUSED women and children in the Maitland area are being turned away from emergency accommodation because the city's refuge is continually full.
A startling 155 families were denied accommodation at women's refuge Carrie's Place last year because the four-bedroom house was full.
Of those 155 families, 72 were directly related to domestic violence incidents and involved 102 children.
During the past 11 months those numbers have grown.
A total of 170 families were turned away from Carrie's Place between January 1 and November 30 this year. Ninety six of those families were escaping domestic violence and included 170 children.
Carrie's Place manager Ms Anna Hartree said the situation had reached desperation point, with more accommodation and more domestic violence workers needed in the Hunter Region.
`Those figures are just for our refuge so that's a pretty fair indication of what's happening in other areas,' Ms Hartree said.
There are six refuges in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area, one at Muswellbrook and another in Taree. A refuge at Morisset, which is not fully operational, is staffed by volunteers.
Ms Hartree said there was a growing need for a Cessnock refuge.
`We are turning away about six families a week just at Maitland,' she said.
`I am very concerned when they are turned away, particularly if other acommodation can't be found. I fear for their safety and just hope they call back again.
`Here at Maitland we only have a four-bedroom house and can only take four families at a time, which places pressure on other centres.'
Maitland police domestic violence officer Senior Constable Jenny Brown said domestic violence was up slightly on last year. The Lower Hunter police command averaged 90 to 100 calls a month.
© 1998 Newcastle Herald
