Budget Cuts and Domestic Violence

On Wednesday this week, along with UUP’s Women’s Development Officer Sandra Overend, I attended the Women’s Aid AGM in the Wellington Park Hotel. The work of this organisation is absolutely inspiring, and its board, staff and volunteers are to be applauded for their passion and commitment to ridding society of the curse of domestic violence.

It stuck me, during the presentation on the 24-hour telephone helpline highlighting the peaks around holiday seasons, that Women’s Aid will, in all likelihood, have to deal with increasing numbers of callers as the impact of the budget cuts takes hold.

It may seem duplicitous of me, having stood as a Conservatives & Unionists candidate, to express fear about the impact of the budget cuts on society; however, I still believe that the Coalition government has no choice but to introduce budget cuts for the long-term security of the United Kingdom.

In that regard, I am hoping the Executive Ministers are exercising due diligence in their in-depth analysis of all departmental budget commitments as their seek to identify ways in which they can reduce their financial requirements.

Every budget cut will mean a public service is reduced or cut, and my concern is that the decisions should be taken with awareness of the far reaching consequences

Domestic violence happens in homes across the country, irrespective of class, creed or colour, and it is everyone’s problem.

It’s everyone’s problem because as a society we all owe it to the most marginalised in society to provide them with the support and resources they need to live their life free from harm and abuse.

Our politicians, in turn, owe it to those living with abuse to ensure that the decisions they take take account of the far-reaching impact of a reduction in publicly funded services.

With rising unemployment, through redundancies with shrinkage in the private, public and voluntary sectors, it is imperative that we prevent, where possible, and intervene, when needed.

Unemployment *can* lead to stress. Stress *can* lead to excessive drinking. Excessive drinking *can* lead to domestic violence.

Domestic violence damages the victim.  Domestic violence damages the perpetrator. Domestic violence damages children. Domestic violence damages society.

We must ensure, now more than ever, that public money is spent on the causes, not just the symptoms.