Domestic violence charity gets cash boost (From This Is Wiltshire)

Domestic violence charity gets cash boost

1:00pm Wednesday 11th August 2010 in

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A CHARITY that helps with the victims of domestic violence in Wiltshire has been given more than £250,000 to help it deal with an increase in demand.

Splitz will use the money from the Big Lottery Fund to reach more people in need of guidance and emotional support.

The charity’s founder, Fran Lewis, said the money would let them employ another member of staff and extend the hours of their existing four workers.

“Currently we have a lot of people on a waiting list,” she said.

“When women do find the courage to pick the phone up and say ‘look, I can’t cope with this any more’, they need a response now.

“At the moment we’ve got a waiting list of about six weeks.

“They do know we’re at the end of the phone and they do get regular phone calls, but that’s not the same as somebody sitting with you and helping you identify what your choices are.”

Ms Lewis said: “The financial problems in this country have put a lot of people under pressure at home - people are losing jobs and bills and rents are going up. We’re seeing domestic abuse escalating in severity and frequency.”

The charity, which has about 60 people on its waiting list, will get £251,466 over three years.