Headline: Service for victims of sexual violence pushed out in cold
Christchurch cannot afford to lose this agency
The Green Party is calling on Housing New Zealand to revisit its decision to evict an essential community organisation in Christchurch with only eight weeks notice.
Yesterday at the Select Committee inquiry into funding for sexual violence support services the organisation START, who provides essential counselling for victims of sexual crime, told the Select Committee that they had been evicted from their property by Housing New Zealand with only eight weeks formal notice.
“It is irresponsible of Housing New Zealand to evict such a critical and underfunded service into such a crowded and overpriced housing market without a plan,” Green Party women’s spokesperson Jan Logie said today.
“Like all other sexual abuse support services around New Zealand, START is already struggling to keep its doors open in the face of demand exceeding their capacity to deliver by 50 percent.
“START has scrimped together a deposit and intends to purchase a property as rental prices are unsustainable, however they need a reasonable period of time to achieve this.
“Some people suffering trauma from sexual violence have found the earthquakes additionally destabilising and this makes the consistency of service delivery in Christchurch particularly important. The Government needs to reassure them as soon as possible.
“Christchurch cannot afford to lose this agency and I am calling on Housing New Zealand to revisit their decision and work with START on a better solution that will keep the kids that use this service safe.”
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Seems the current govt is happy to see women left out in the cold after abuse – they have no cencerns about rape crisis centres etc. shutting down – there Nat voters love the idea of stopping funds that go to ‘feminists’ ‘socialists ‘ and whingers and ‘man-haters’
I do not see anything the current govt is doing that would allow them to deny they are pro rape and pro abuse
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