Councillor Sarah Redrup (LibDem), the newly elected Isle of Wight councillor for Wootton Bridge, reminded members last night (Wednesday) of the closure, after 32 years, of the Isle of Wight’s only Island-based charity (Wight-DASH) who provided support for victims of domestic violence.
She asked,
“There is just now one counsellor, who travels from the Mainland, one day a week, to provide face to face sessions for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, to serve a whole Island, with a waiting list of six month. What changes would the Cabinet member like to see to improve access to services for victims, provided on the Island?”
“Counselling forms one aspect of an holistic range of approaches”
Newly-elected leader of the council, Councillor Phil Jordan read a response on behalf of Councillor Ian Stephens (who had to leave having had a fall and broken his ribs).
The response read:
“The YouTrust Paragon for domestic abuse has been commissioned to deliver domestic abuse and sexual violence services since 2018 on the Isle of Wight. They’ve recently been awarded the new contract to provide domestic abuse services from October 2023 for up to seven years. The specifications for both their current and future contract include Island-based services to adults and children and young people in relation to domestic abuse. Refuge and safe accommodation, community outreach, training, and awareness raising, group work and counselling. Counselling forms one aspect of an holistic range of approaches to supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse.”
He added,
“For context, Wight DASH has not been commissioned by the IWC to provide domestic abuse services since 2018.”
Redrup: Changes needed to improve a physical space for people to access on the Island
Councillor Redrup replied,
“I am aware that Wight DASH weren’t commissioned, but what the aim and spirit of my question was there being a physical place on the Island where survivors could go to. The point about the counsellor was the YouTrust and Paragon are both based in Fareham, so they travel over to the Island and I have heard that the refuge that’s supported by them doesn’t have staff on weekends and after hours.”
Her supplementary question was,
“What will be the changes to that to improve a physical space for people to access on the Island. No phones, not Zoom calls, but a physical place: A drop-in centre, or counsellors based on the Island, that live here and work here. Not people coming from the Mainland.”
Councillor Jordan replied that he would refer the question to the Director of Public Health, Simon Bryant, who is responsible. Additionally, he mentioned that the IWC would connect Councillor Redrup directly with Mr. Bryant for more detailed information in response to her question.
