Jane Dodds has asked the Welsh Government about the work it is doing to protect and look after victims of domestic violence in Powys.
The Mid and West Wales MS said at the Senedd that Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre does an “amazing job” in terms of protecting victims and survivors of domestic violence.
But she said that, sadly, they’ve had to look at the possibility of cutting five jobs.
Video from Senedd.tv
The Mid and West Wales MS said at the Senedd that Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre does an “amazing job” in terms of protecting victims and survivors of domestic violence.
But she said that, sadly, they’ve had to look at the possibility of cutting five jobs.
Video from Senedd.tv
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NewsTranscript
00:00on claimants in Wales.
00:02Jane Dodds.
00:04Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary.
00:07I'd like to request a statement from yourself, please,
00:10on the issue of how we protect and look after victims of domestic violence in Powis.
00:17Montgomery's Family Crisis Centre does an amazing job
00:21in terms of protecting our victims and survivors of domestic violence,
00:25and yet they've sadly had to look at the potential of cutting five jobs.
00:31And in a rural area, that's a huge impact.
00:34They deal day on day with mostly women who come forward who are courageous and brave.
00:41And I'd like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to one brave woman
00:45who we sadly lost last week, and that's Virginia Dufresne,
00:49who stood up to powerful and rich men in order to make sure
00:56that the voices of victims and survivors were heard.
00:59And it's an absolute tragedy that she took her own life
01:03after decades of pressure and stress.
01:07A woman of sublime courage, and every single woman who comes forward
01:12has that courage, and we need to protect and support them.
01:17And so I'd like to make sure that services such as
01:19the Montgomery's Family Crisis Centre are protected
01:22in order to continue that service.
01:24Diolch, Arian.
01:25Diolch, Jane Dodds, and thank you also for the whole chamber
01:29to hear and recognise the tragedy of the loss
01:33and that Virginia Dufresne, that absolute tragedy
01:36that she took her life after everything that she had suffered.
01:41And obviously this is very linked to how do we in Wales
01:47and as the Welsh Government deliver and respond to violence
01:51against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
01:55So thank you for putting that in the context of Powis
01:58and the Montgomery's Family Crisis Centre,
02:01which does provide an indispensable service for families in the area.
02:06Well, I was pleased that we have been able
02:08to recently offer additional revenue, I hope you're aware of that,
02:13to the Montgomery's Family Crisis Centre.
02:16This is something where we have put more funding
02:19into the other SV services this year,
02:23and whenever I have the opportunity,
02:24we also look regionally and locally to where there is specific need.
02:29We've supported the crisis centre with capital grants
02:32over the past two years,
02:34and we, of course, this is part of the specialist sector
02:37across Wales that we support.
02:40In challenging financial times,
02:42but ensuring that services are fully supported
02:45in the valuable work that they undertake.
02:49And thank you for bringing to our attention again today
02:52their valuable work in Montgomery's.
02:54Thank you for sharing that.