The reason I kept static on the postings was that I had submitted the blog as referenced evidence to the Dept of Home Affairs for their Inquiry into Domestic Abuse,
The report is out but sadly my points have not been highlighted.Parliamentary Inquiry into Domestic Abuse There are lots of references in the witness statements to financial abuse but not the overt recognition of the need to support women better on their pathway of healing, detoxing from the ugliness of violence upon her and rebuilding her broken life.
I strongly continue to state that women's lives are being put at risk when she is left penniless, her career ruined and at the mercy of welfare benefits.... There is much attention on the failings of the DWP to support those in need generally on the news as we move towards Universal Credit being rolled out nationally... We hear of those that have weeks without funds and those that have been sanctioned on JSA for failing to turn up to appointments (for women subjected to DV this should be an alert to check on her safety) or simply unable to find any work, those on ESA that have had their GP assessment countered by a work capability assessment deemed fit for work then the darn welfare support suddenly stopped. These failing are DANGEROUS TO WOMEN SURVIVORS - she could return to her perpetrator and the next beating be her murder or she could commit suicide in the post traumatic stress depression. WE SIMPLY CANNOT IGNORE THIS VERY REAL RISK FACTOR... We have to also see that women when they "get out" of the abuse is NOT a case of "she is out of it so safe and over it...." the psychological damage can take years to heal and will always be in flash backs from the trauma. I have shared with you before that when I have had DWP hassle and local council hassle from letters to say my funds have been stopped and demands for payments, when have no funds to pay as led to - twanging me back to the past and its pain. You can lay on the bed depressed and feel every punch... and kick..... and slap again..... and hear all the horrid vile things that have be shouted at you to belittle you and humiliate you.
I, along with other survivors feel when the system fails us it is like that system has become our perpetrator battering us over and over again.
We really need reparation for the criminal act on us by our perpetrators and we need a strong and stable pathway of support to healing... with an overlap of support when we are ready to enter the job market to be sure we can cope. The funding for this from government will not be wasted but paid back in the income tax we will earn from being settled again in some work and regaining our financial dignity..
To care is an investment for the our future well being.
Inadequate support that pushes women into poverty with hunger and no financial dignity is unacceptable and a breech of State Duty of Care to survivors - and this is to UN directives on care of women subjected to violence in war and peace time.
As a society we must review our whole stance at the present attitudes and mal policies of the DWP...... the vulnerable and needy must have and deserve protection with the right to financial dignity.
For me left penniless by my perpetrators I have another issue to contend with and campaign for..... that of my State Pension. I was born in 1954 so fallen foul of the shift in retirement age. I have submitted a complaint about the DWP on the two issues I am facing as I move to my most vulnerable years in old age penniless. My form to the Parliamentary Ombudsman has been given to my MP & Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to present my case.
Continuing to turn Pain into Campaign.
But in that pain have been referred to the Community Mental health team as I dropped into a form of Seligman's helplessness waking each morning to the same problem no matter how pro active I have been... and continue to be... waking with a choking sensation my throat tightened in a panic attack and coughing and vomiting - a most horrid feeling and a physical manifestation of the way I am feeling - choked with the situation unable to escape from the claws of the past abuse upon me and be free to rebuild my life with dignity.
You can catch up on the campaigning for my State Pension with the #shouldertoshoulder rally on my Cup of tea share care blog... The rally on the 10th October INTERESTINGLY was not covered on the mainstream TV news channels despite the women stopping traffic outside parliament... why is government wanting to MUTE our voices?!?
No woman should be feeling like this - especially like me after Domestic Abuse you can see how it compounds my pain!
I am stuck in the duality of pain from DV & Lack of State Pension!
You can watch the footage of the rally on this link
Women's Voices must be heard
Look how this is ageing me & challenging my health!
Bad housekeeping of the PM as I and others are costing the NHS
from the ill health of being robbed of financial dignity!
