31 JULY 2007

Hospital Domestic Violence Screening Raises Concerns

Women’s Refuge has concerns about how a plan to screen all women going to public hospitals for domestic violence will work.

The Chief Executive of the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, Heather Henare, says while the intention of the move is good, it also leaves many questions unanswered.

Ms Henare says she wants to know the details of the proposal and looks forward to the chance of some discussion with the Ministry of Health over it.

Ms Henare says women must not be made to feel there is any compulsion for them to answer any questions in order to receive hospital treatment.

“I would be concerned any plan like this does not drive women underground and away from treatment because they fear being questioned.”

“Many women do not feel safe disclosing this sort of information to strangers, whether they are health professionals or not, and have a real fear of anything they say putting them in even more danger.”

“We also have issues around how the information will be used once it is gathered and what thought has been given by the Ministry about what the plan means for organisations like Refuge who will be picking up referrals it generates.”

“Without any doubt we want women and children in trouble or under threat to access help and be safe, but the Government and its departments and ministries have to take into account the additional workloads created for Refuge and other NGOs as a result of these sorts of programmes.”

ENDS

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