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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 3 Hansard (7 March) . . Page.. 800 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

In addition, the increasing number of clients with complex needs has created new occupational health and safety issues for both staff and clients and there is an urgent need for additional staffing to cope with the current client groups. On top of this, of course, organisations such as Toora have over this same period suffered significant increases in workers compensation claims.

So far I have addressed what Toora Single Wimmin's Shelter does and the problems it currently faces in delivering services to women in crisis, and I acknowledge that these pressures are not unique to Toora Single Wimmin's Shelter and apply to other service providers in this area in the ACT. In order to highlight what I regard as a definite crisis in relation to our capacity to meet the needs of this particular group of Canberra citizens, I think it is appropriate to refer to the life situation in which some of the clients of Toora with complex needs currently find themselves. Of course, that involves a multiplicity of factors that have contributed to the need for women to access the service-things like incest, rape, drug use and domestic violence are often experienced together, creating an experience of complete lifestyle dysfunction that is somewhat overwhelming.

In that context I will refer to a couple of case examples, using, of course, fictitious names. One of those cases involves a client whom I will call Megan. Megan came to Australia from overseas for an arranged marriage to a man of the same ethnicity who resided in Australia. She spoke no English and knew no-one except her husband. Her husband was a violent man. She was subjected to sexual abuse, domestic violence, being locked in the house and was allowed no money. She was not allowed to seek medical attention or to make telephone calls except to her family overseas, all of which were strictly monitored.

Not surprisingly, she became ill. She was not allowed any medical treatment. She was forced to escape from the house while her husband was at work. She went to a police station but was unable to tell the police what was wrong. An interpreter was contacted and it was through the interpreter that she was referred to Toora Single Wimmin's Shelter. The complex needs and the multiplicity of issues that Megan faced and the support she required included: medical attention; the need to deal with legal matters; a domestic violence order; retrieval of her clothes and her belongings; immigration issues in that she was sponsored by the perpetrator; counselling for sexual assault and domestic violence; education because she could not speak English; the fact that she was financially dependent and she did not have anywhere to live; and, of course, support for her day to day needs.

At 5.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.

MR STANHOPE: Due to the length of time required to resolve these issues-the immigration, legal and housing issues-and because there were no other suitable options, Megan's stay was extended from three months to six months. This case illustrates the need for transitional support to help women moving from crisis accommodation to more permanent living arrangements.

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