NCW Southland hosts speakers from local agencies

NCW Southland recently has been privileged to hear speakers from two local agencies.

At the Annual General Meeting in May, Donagh Booth from Age Concern spoke of her role in Elder Abuse Response. Her work in Invercargill has been an eye opener for her. She did not realise the spread of elder abuse within her home town. Examples she gave listed sons who have never left home, sons with issues who returned home, mothers who have become isolated because friends and other family members would not visit while the son was present.

Behaviour of such sons included not assisting with the household chores like mowing lawns or cleaning out spouting; expecting his laundry to be done, his meals to be cooked, not contributing to the household costs. Donagh’s role, when she becomes aware of such issues is to be a listening ear, offering suggestions of mitigating actions. Sometimes such help was not acted upon but in extreme cases, trespassing the son has been initiated.

Media scams are also a growing concern. And not confined to women. Single elderly are targeted by predatory persons, introducing a friendly element then possibly a romantic one leading to the real intention, asking for money. And thousands of dollars have been and are being scammed in this way. Police are not involved because the perpetrator threatens the victim with blackmail.

Our speaker in June was Tina McColgan, who is kaiwhakahaere of Southland Help, an agency devoted entirely to victims of sexual abuse.

Tina spoke passionately about the programmes, the clients and the traumas they, both males and females, are dealing with, after experiencing sexual violence. She said that such traumas change lives for ever. Even though a client can successfully work through healing programmes, further down the years an event can trigger such a memory that the person is re-traumatised and in need of care again, usually taking even longer to recover this time.

Tina spoke of the appalling Southland statistics, 30% of referrals are male, 47% children under 13 years of age. Last financial year there were 500 referrals, to date this year it is up to 800, with an average of 80 per month.

As with all Government funded agencies, Southland Help has received advice of non-continuance of funding particularly for MSD and ACC funded programmes.

After two such sobering presentations it was great to be able to celebrate, acknowledging Anne McCracken’s recent award of the KSM (King's Service Medal) and having Branch Life Member Liz Cruickshank presenting Kaye Crowther QSO with her Branch Life Membership badge.