We’re their last hope, you’re ours; Women’s Refuge Annual Appeal cuts to chase.

MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 6 th July 2016

The theme for this year’s Women’s Refuge annual appeal highlights the increasing costs of providing services to domestic violence victims.

“Our refuges are always busy through the winter months meaning more money is needed to help families wanting to live violence free lives,” says Chief Executive Dr Ang Jury. “Donated items such as furniture or clothes are helpful if we are working with families that are in immediate need of them, but our refuges often don’t have the storage room; what is most urgently needed is money to provide the services they need to keep themselves and their children safe.”

While the services Women’s Refuge provides are partially funded by government, there is still a substantial shortfall to cover other essential services. Nearly half of their clients are children, but most of the services refuges provide for them such as playgroups or childcare are unfunded.

Dr Jury explains, “All our clients and Refuges have different needs. One family might need help with relocating and re-establishing themselves, or we may have a refuge with safe house running at full capacity, which will equate to a high power bill, along with other associated expenses, or even the cost of placing a family in a motel for a few nights until a safe house space becomes available.

We just simply don’t have spare money to pay for this.”

The campaign uses clear direct messaging in asking for the public to donate. New Zealand celebrities including Polly Gillespie, Pua Magasiva, and Temuera Morrison have donated their time to create a video that illustrates just how dire the financial situation for Refuge is, and Google and NZME have sponsored the campaign to ensure that the Women’s Refuge’s plight is heard.

“Our refuges work hard to ensure women and children can live violence free lives; we need to help them do this. We need people to support their local refuges by giving generously to the street collectors or by donating online; every dollar counts.”

The campaign runs for the whole month of July, and consists of fundraising events, street collections, and a large social media presence.

To donate to Women’s Refuge visit www.womensrefuge.org.nz

ENDS

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