by Catherine Delahunty
I was dismayed but not altogether surprised to read yesterday that police have reported a marked increase in domestic violence in Canterbury since Saturday’s earthquake.
The trauma of the earthquake itself, followed by days of stress from damaged homes and businesses, fear from aftershocks, lack of sleep, and worry as the extent of the challenge ahead sinks in will be contributing to a real atmosphere of tension for many Christchurch families.
We know that domestic violence is often fuelled by stressful and tense situations. When people have to operate at a high level of tension for a long period of time, things can slip out of control.
As Christchurch Women’s Refuge manager Annette Gillespie noted this morning, the situation might also put women at risk of making unsafe choices:
Women were hearing “this is a time when we should be together and I should be able to have access to the children”, she said.
“There’s additional pressure on women to make choices that might leave them potentially unsafe.”
There’s no excuse for domestic violence, in any circumstances. But it is tragic for all concerned that the already terrible situation in Canterbury is making the problem of domestic violence worse.
I hope the people of Canterbury – who are already rallying together to look after each other – keep this increased risk in mind in the coming days and weeks. It’s a time to look after each other, and look out for anyone who might be at risk.
The Mental Health Commission has produced a list of tips for looking after mental health after an earthquake and you can contact Christchurch Women’s Refuge here.
Published in Environment & Resource Management | Health & Wellbeing by Catherine Delahunty on Thu, September 9th, 2010
Tags: canterbury, Canterbury earthquake, domestic violence, earthquake, mental health, Women's Refuge
More posts by Catherine Delahunty | more about Catherine Delahunty
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/christchurch-earthquake-coping-with-stress
Here is a link to the main earthquake website –
http://canterburyearthquake.org.nz/
And also good information on the Ecan site –
http://ecan.govt.nz/pages/home.aspx
Like or Dislike:
5 
1 (+4)
So … is that significant? This is not a hypothetical question. Two days seems a very small period to try to draw conclusions from. If you looked at domestic violence stats per weekend over a whole year in Canterbury, what would the variance be?
I tried to find out myself, but I couldn’t find the information on stats.govt.nz. Indeed, they don’t even track “domestic violence”. The nearest thing I could find was “male assaults female”, which doesn’t seem to cover it all (what if a mother assaults her children? Or does that not count as domestic violence?).
Like or Dislike:
5 
1 (+4)
Valium + Sleeping pills = De-stress…
Like or Dislike:
1 
3 (-2)
aah..!…’Valium + Sleeping pills’…
the jimi hendrix ‘mistake’..
(careful with those tranks there..!..tiger…!..)
..it’s a sneaky addiction that one…
..it just creeps up on you…
..and next thing you know…
..you have a simian on yer back…
(i used them in times of no smack..and before ya knew it…
..i had tandem-habits….whoar…!..
‘holy nasty withdrawals..!…batman..!..’)
and cold turkey withdrawals are not recommended for a trank-habit…
..you have gradually reduce..and be weaned off…
..(unlike heroin or cocaine)…cold turkey withdrawals from both tranks and methadone…
..could kill you…
..and they are the ones handed out like lollies..(esp. tranks..) by doctors..
..the blackmarket ones are ‘safer’…
and if you figure alcohol/cannabis into the equation..?
it’s a funny old upside down world here..alice…
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Like or Dislike:
2 
1 (+1)
My last comment wasn’t meant in bad taste, if it comes across that way… I was meaning to comment that sleeping pills would be great to help sleep through the aftershocks at night and valium for those frayed nerves during the day…
@Phil, speaking from experience eh..?
Like or Dislike:
1 
0 (+1)
yes…
..could that be clearer..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Like or Dislike:
2 
1 (+1)
I don’t think it could be any clearer..!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
HOT BATHS AND BAROQUE MUSIC
I am trying to arrange accommodation in Lake Coleridge for people who want a relaxing time in the hills; so long as the alpine fault doesn’t slip!!!
I think that would be better than Valium, even though I gave Jeramy a tick then I read Phil U contribution, concluded that he was an authority on the subject and gave him a tick.
Another thing to relieve stress is to have a hot bath if you can, and to listen to baroque music Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Percell and a more contemporary artist Jeff Clarkson.
Like or Dislike:
2 
0 (+2)
“Bring the kids down, there’ll be beers “, was what the chap on the radio was saying.
The intake of the drug alcohol is directly linked to domestic violence.
Perhaps people are drinking more because of the stress ??????.
P.s I know the National party is pro the drug piss but “bring the kids, there’ll be beers “, is just bloody rubbish.
Bring the kids and leave the piss alone would be a better and safer message.
Like or Dislike:
5 
1 (+4)
Now that Gerry’s there, those aftershocks might get better! Or worse.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
He’ll serve as a stabilizer, absorbing the shocks.
‘Jellification’ to counter ‘liquification’.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0 (+1)
yes; that was my thought – but then if the entire structure starts shaking?
Could be bad.
Still – I had to start again this week
Wasn’t as bad as it sounds
Keep the sunny-side up Gerry!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
A flabulator, a vibrotonne, a cosmic absorber!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Now we have the quakescuse to beat the xxxx out of our partner/wife/husband or the kids.
Rule No 1. If you hit your other half but not the neighbour next door because they will have you arrested, then you are totally in control of your behaviour. If you are happy to hit your neighbour as well, you shouldn’t even be allowed out.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
PM Watcher; zigzactly – the river nearly flooded this week, can I give the local thief a good old fashioned kick up the (—-)???
I’m stressed out man!
A stresscuse?
An Freudian blowhole?
Emotionial download?
Hurt people hurt people
But only if they feel entitled
Yet ‘the Rugby’ is still so darn prominent on the news
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Hey guys I don’t think knocking Gerry about his weight is very tastefull, lets try to leave personalities out of this I would rather you attack what he stands for.
Frog: why was the rest of my post censored, I dont think I said anything particularly controvercial, did I?
Like or Dislike:
1 
0 (+1)
I think knocking ‘Gerry the hut’ over his bloated morbidly obese condition is perfectly fine.
That fat prick is anti cannabis users ( me ), supposedly for health reason’s.
I’d like to wire his jaw shut and ban him from eating cream buns …… for health reasons.
Nah, actually I’d like to kick him because he likes to kick me.
Didn’t he get an assult conviction for throwing a pensioner down a flight of stairs ????????????
I bet he’s unfazed by domestic violence and see’s it as a “family matter’.
The traditional Natianal party response .
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)