Wrexham Women's Aid abuses women.
Merched Glyndwr | 15.12.2008 17:36
The women's refuge network was set up to assist women and children to escape from domestic violence and abuse. Women fleeing domestic abuse and violence might think that entering Wrexham Women's Aid refuge would provide them with a safe haven. The reality is quite the reverse. Wrexham Women's Aid abuses the women there.
Wrexham refuge is operated by Wrexham Women's Aid, it is licensed as a place for women and children who have had to leave home due to their partners' abuse and/or, violence.
The way this refuge is run is disgusting. It is apparent that Wrexham Women's Aid are unaccountable and their behaviour, that of a benefit exploiting, bullying, landlord, who cares nothing for women and children who live there.
The refuge should house women and children who are fleeing domestic abuse. Most of the occupants are young women with drug and alcohol problems. They have not been subjected to domestic abuse. North Wales and the Wrexham area have severe levels of drug and alcohol dependency in young people. There are few services to help these and those that exist go no way to helping all the numbers of people involved. This means that the refuge is being used for a purpose it was neither intended, nor licensed.
It results in women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence living alongside people with drug and alcohol dependencies. The different groups of women are split into two. This causes frictions in the refuge, the non domestic abuse inhabitants want to oust the other women and children, sometimes perceived as a threat. It is often the case that the women who have been sujected to domestic abuse are further abused in the refuge, they also face harassment, even physical danger, to "persuade" them to leave.
This situation is bad enough but staff of the refuge fail to act to protect women and children who have already been subjected to domestic abuse etc. Incidents of drug taking, alcohol abuse, causing disruption of life in the refuge, occur on a daily basis, generally all night, every night. Women and children who have already been abused and want some peace and quiet are unable to get any sleep. It is common for drug and alcohol abuse to take place in the presence of young children.
The refuge staff are aware of what is happening but fail to address the situation. Anyone who speaks out, even to request enough peace to sleep at night, faces further abuse and hostility from staff. Make it clear that you will not tolerate the behaviour and abuse from other residents and staff and life becomes very unpleasant indeed.
The governing factor seems to be that the charge made by the refuge is £230 per week. In the vast majority of cases this is paid via the Housing Benefit system via Wrexham Council. This is comparatively high as most refuges charge c£150-160 per week. The refuge needs to operate at full capacity, or almost full, to be viable financially. Empty beds equals less money, so it is filled with women who have issues other than domestic abuse.
Furthermore, women who are there to escape domestic abuse are supposed to receive, "support" from refuge staff. In fact, the charge of £230 per week is based on an amount in respect of support given to women. The refuge staff justify the high level of the charge, saying that this includes a "support charge". Each woman is supposed to get a weekly "support" session. This rarely happens and it could be due to the fact the refuge is run on a shoe string. Despite the high charges, staff are noticeable by their absence. The office hours are supposed to be 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday. There are days, or parts of days, when there are no staff in the refuge. Even when present, staff do their best to avoid work. The element for "support" in the charge of £230 per week is a total fraud. The women who have suffered abuse are being badly let down and exploited by Wrexham Women's Aid.
The children who are housed there fare no better. Most refuges have a Child Protection Policy, this means that no one is allowed to engage in abuse of a child whilst in the refuge. In Wrexham children who are abused, or at risk of abuse, receive no help from staff. When matters are reported, they fail to take any action, such as refer to relevant bodies. Children continue to be abused and staff do nothing. This is an outrage.
The refuge rules make much of the terms of the right to occupy the refuge. The women are given a "Licence to Occupy" which means they have few rights and can be evicted on a whim, this at little, or no, notice. Wrexham Women's Aid act in the manner of an intolerant, bullying, landlord when it comes to administering this. The refuge, "rules" make much of residents being required to leave for breaches of these. Women are told they may be evicted for other failures too. Staff have total power over this and frequently abuse their position with regard to women being evicted. Staff act as judge and jury, there is no impartial, or independent, process. Any woman who speaks out, or challenges the way the refuge operates, is subject to the bully boy tactics of staff who will tell them to go, this with less than 1 hour's notice. This is being used against vulnerable people but this makes no difference to the staff, who delight in evicting women who challenge the status quo.
At the same time, those who breach the rules regarding abuse/use of drugs and alcohol escape censure. Staff interpret the rules very freely in some instances. The rules include and state:
1) Discrimination is unacceptable.
2) Illegal drugs are not allowed in the refuge.
3) Abuse of alcohol is not permitted.
4) Child abuse by women towards their children, or those of others, will not be allowed.
5) Smoking is not permitted in the house.
Staff administer these as they see fit. In the case of drugs and alcohol, they fail to address serious problems that exist. Residents who discriminate against others, eg on grounds of age, disability, are allowed to do so. Children have no protection from abuse as rules are not applied. Certain residents who smoke in the house are not admonished. In general, the attitude of staff could be described as perverse.
The Wrexham Women's Aid refuge is a disgrace. It is run by a perverse, dictatorial regime who dish out further abuse to residents, including children. One thing is certain criticism, or any questioning, will not be tolerated by this outfit. It comes as no surprise that many women who have been subjected to domestic abuse, choose to return home to their abusive partners, feeling this is preferable to the abuse at the refuge.
Wrexham Women's Aid is overseen by Welsh Women's Aid. Both bodies are, in effect, unaccountable to any independent organisation. Complaints are dealt with internally and never have an impartial hearing. In view of the fact that substantial amounts of public money are poured into these, there should be some scrutiny, or outside review. Women and children who have been subjected to abuse, and worse, should not be treated in this manner by an organistion supposed to help them. There should be some system to ensure that refuges are not used to house women, other than victims of domestic abuse and violence. The refuge operation is being undermined by the way this is run.
It is time for the women's refuge organisation to be investigated by an independent body with a view to establishing a national standard and governing body. The present set up in Wrexham should be subject to outside inspection with a body to oversee and govern the process there. There should be no room for exploitative, bullying types masquerading as "women's aid".
Wrexham Women's Aid 01978 291983.
The way this refuge is run is disgusting. It is apparent that Wrexham Women's Aid are unaccountable and their behaviour, that of a benefit exploiting, bullying, landlord, who cares nothing for women and children who live there.
The refuge should house women and children who are fleeing domestic abuse. Most of the occupants are young women with drug and alcohol problems. They have not been subjected to domestic abuse. North Wales and the Wrexham area have severe levels of drug and alcohol dependency in young people. There are few services to help these and those that exist go no way to helping all the numbers of people involved. This means that the refuge is being used for a purpose it was neither intended, nor licensed.
It results in women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence living alongside people with drug and alcohol dependencies. The different groups of women are split into two. This causes frictions in the refuge, the non domestic abuse inhabitants want to oust the other women and children, sometimes perceived as a threat. It is often the case that the women who have been sujected to domestic abuse are further abused in the refuge, they also face harassment, even physical danger, to "persuade" them to leave.
This situation is bad enough but staff of the refuge fail to act to protect women and children who have already been subjected to domestic abuse etc. Incidents of drug taking, alcohol abuse, causing disruption of life in the refuge, occur on a daily basis, generally all night, every night. Women and children who have already been abused and want some peace and quiet are unable to get any sleep. It is common for drug and alcohol abuse to take place in the presence of young children.
The refuge staff are aware of what is happening but fail to address the situation. Anyone who speaks out, even to request enough peace to sleep at night, faces further abuse and hostility from staff. Make it clear that you will not tolerate the behaviour and abuse from other residents and staff and life becomes very unpleasant indeed.
The governing factor seems to be that the charge made by the refuge is £230 per week. In the vast majority of cases this is paid via the Housing Benefit system via Wrexham Council. This is comparatively high as most refuges charge c£150-160 per week. The refuge needs to operate at full capacity, or almost full, to be viable financially. Empty beds equals less money, so it is filled with women who have issues other than domestic abuse.
Furthermore, women who are there to escape domestic abuse are supposed to receive, "support" from refuge staff. In fact, the charge of £230 per week is based on an amount in respect of support given to women. The refuge staff justify the high level of the charge, saying that this includes a "support charge". Each woman is supposed to get a weekly "support" session. This rarely happens and it could be due to the fact the refuge is run on a shoe string. Despite the high charges, staff are noticeable by their absence. The office hours are supposed to be 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday. There are days, or parts of days, when there are no staff in the refuge. Even when present, staff do their best to avoid work. The element for "support" in the charge of £230 per week is a total fraud. The women who have suffered abuse are being badly let down and exploited by Wrexham Women's Aid.
The children who are housed there fare no better. Most refuges have a Child Protection Policy, this means that no one is allowed to engage in abuse of a child whilst in the refuge. In Wrexham children who are abused, or at risk of abuse, receive no help from staff. When matters are reported, they fail to take any action, such as refer to relevant bodies. Children continue to be abused and staff do nothing. This is an outrage.
The refuge rules make much of the terms of the right to occupy the refuge. The women are given a "Licence to Occupy" which means they have few rights and can be evicted on a whim, this at little, or no, notice. Wrexham Women's Aid act in the manner of an intolerant, bullying, landlord when it comes to administering this. The refuge, "rules" make much of residents being required to leave for breaches of these. Women are told they may be evicted for other failures too. Staff have total power over this and frequently abuse their position with regard to women being evicted. Staff act as judge and jury, there is no impartial, or independent, process. Any woman who speaks out, or challenges the way the refuge operates, is subject to the bully boy tactics of staff who will tell them to go, this with less than 1 hour's notice. This is being used against vulnerable people but this makes no difference to the staff, who delight in evicting women who challenge the status quo.
At the same time, those who breach the rules regarding abuse/use of drugs and alcohol escape censure. Staff interpret the rules very freely in some instances. The rules include and state:
1) Discrimination is unacceptable.
2) Illegal drugs are not allowed in the refuge.
3) Abuse of alcohol is not permitted.
4) Child abuse by women towards their children, or those of others, will not be allowed.
5) Smoking is not permitted in the house.
Staff administer these as they see fit. In the case of drugs and alcohol, they fail to address serious problems that exist. Residents who discriminate against others, eg on grounds of age, disability, are allowed to do so. Children have no protection from abuse as rules are not applied. Certain residents who smoke in the house are not admonished. In general, the attitude of staff could be described as perverse.
The Wrexham Women's Aid refuge is a disgrace. It is run by a perverse, dictatorial regime who dish out further abuse to residents, including children. One thing is certain criticism, or any questioning, will not be tolerated by this outfit. It comes as no surprise that many women who have been subjected to domestic abuse, choose to return home to their abusive partners, feeling this is preferable to the abuse at the refuge.
Wrexham Women's Aid is overseen by Welsh Women's Aid. Both bodies are, in effect, unaccountable to any independent organisation. Complaints are dealt with internally and never have an impartial hearing. In view of the fact that substantial amounts of public money are poured into these, there should be some scrutiny, or outside review. Women and children who have been subjected to abuse, and worse, should not be treated in this manner by an organistion supposed to help them. There should be some system to ensure that refuges are not used to house women, other than victims of domestic abuse and violence. The refuge operation is being undermined by the way this is run.
It is time for the women's refuge organisation to be investigated by an independent body with a view to establishing a national standard and governing body. The present set up in Wrexham should be subject to outside inspection with a body to oversee and govern the process there. There should be no room for exploitative, bullying types masquerading as "women's aid".
Wrexham Women's Aid 01978 291983.
Merched Glyndwr
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