Battered women refuge faces closure because it does not cater for men
A refuge for battered women is to be closed down because it doesn't cater for men.
By Daily Telegraph Reporter
Published: 4:26PM BST 02 Aug 2009
The safe haven has provided emergency shelter for more than 1,000 abused woman and children over the past 14 years.
But its doors will now shut forever after council managers realised it did not serve men and women equally.
The shelter, in Weymouth, Dorset, currently has enough beds to shelter six families affected by domestic violence.
No adult men are permitted to stay in the refuge, which is intended to protect physically and emotionally battered women.
Managers now believe money would be better spent helping domestic violence victims of both sexes to stay in their homes.
They will be helped by an "outreach service" which aims to keep more people in their own homes.
But the move has angered women domestic violence campaigners.
Brian Ellis, a local councillor who helped set up the refuge in 1986, said: "It doesn't make sense.
"The women who use the refuge are there because of what men have done to them and their children.
"When people suffer from domestic violence they need an escape route so it's just incredible that this decision has been taken.
"They need an immediate escape and that's what's being taken away."
A spokeswoman for Refuge, a charity for women and children affected by domestic violence, said: "There are not enough refuges for women who need help as it is.
"It's already pretty difficult to get help and women often have to travel long distances to get it.
"Losing beds that are already there is really devastating. It is a whole community that has lost that kind of safety."
The Weymouth refuge costs £82,780 a year to run and is funded by a number of local councils.
It will close in March 2010 when women will be moved to different accommodation or sent home.
Over the past year a total of 6,323 people have reported domestic violence to Dorset Police.
A spokeswoman for Dorset County Council confirmed one of the reasons for closure was the lack of facilities for men.
She said: "We are not going to be opening up a refuge for men and women.
"Some people would rather stay in their own settings than be moved away and put in a refuge.
"We want to make sure that men and women are both catered for and at the moment we are not able to do that within the small building."
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Comments
What a ridiculous idea.
Outreach: equals being forced to live in their own home so that abuse may continue.
And to use the excuse of the refuge not being available for men, is not even relevant.
Other arrangements could and should be offered to men.
Either council jobsworths have no grasp of the implications (in which case they should never be empowered to make decisions like this) - or as Wolfie says, it's the most thinly disguised cost cutting exercise.
Sounds like a letter to head office to me, and then loads of Marston vouchers for meals or beer in the future to placate you.
Dear Mr Marston,
Due to a severely limited menu available at the weekend......