ANALYSIS: The announcement that $131 million will be spent on helping sexual violence survivors has stunned the sector, but some are happier than others and the difference – good and not so good – is in the fine print.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/112838742/finally-relief-for-survivors-of-sexual-violence–but-caution-remains
The pre-Budget package announced by PM Jacinda Ardern and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Domestic and Sexual Violence Jan Logie on Sunday, represents a massive injection of funds for these support services, with an extra $24.9m for children and young people, and $50.6m for adults. Another $12m will be spent on improving outcomes for male survivors of sexual harm.
That’s a big bump from the $46m given sector-wide in 2016, which had to be spread between children, adults, male survivors, pilots for Kaupapa Māori services, and services working to tackle sexually harmful behaviour.
At first glance Sunday morning, services like Wellington’s HELP network were concerned people who are right now desperate for help would have to keep waiting, with much of the funding becoming available in July 2020; but the fine print shows there will be some money available from June this year.
2019-05-21