Domestic violence charity under threat

11:09am Saturday 17th May 2008

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A funding crisis has overshadowed a domestic violence charity's expansion plans.

Ways Of Responding Through Health (WORTH) was set up to support victims of domestic violence.

It trains independent domestic violence advisers to work in Worthing Hospital A&E and Crawley Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre.

Fresh funding will allow it to expand its services to Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and St Richards Hospital in Chichester.

A further £1.1 million pot of cash will also help the group set up a 24-hour county-wide service.

There is enough funding to support the expansion up until 2009.

But essential funding will be withdrawn in 2009, prompting fears any good work done during the next year will be undermined.

A report by a West Sussex County Council task force assigned to look at continuing the service said: "Among other things this will almost certainly mean a 24-hour service cannot be sustained as well as reduced attendance at both Mid Sussex and Chichester Hospitals.

"The impact will be that levels of crime will increase with more serious assaults or even murders."

West Sussex County Council has provided support and funding for the project in the past. Clem Stevens, the chairman of the council's public protection select committee, said: "Unfortunately, this is the way the Government tends to work. It gives pump priming money to set something up then you are left holding the baby at the end of the day."

Worth has specialist court advisers based at Crawley and Worthing courts, working closely with police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

It is increasingly working with high-risk victims and receives a number of referrals directly from Sussex Police.

The committee plans to source funding by compiling a list of the agencies, which benefit from Worth's services and approach them for financial support.

Coun Stevens said: "This has been such a success we're anxious to see it expand and continue to do the good work it has achieved.

"We know that it costs £1 million to bring to fruition a murder trial. If Worth is helping to avoid potential murders, we think agencies like the police and the health service are also benefiting from their service. That is why we plan to approach them for funding.

"At the moment our aim is to avoid the thing falling into oblivion."

eg of someone Worth has helped Worth's crucial work was illustrated in a case involving a woman who failed to turn up at court to give evidence against an abusive partner.

When Worth advisors visited her home, the woman revealed the aprtner had attended her address and threatened to shoot her and the children if she attended court.

The partner had a history of firearms related offences and had served time in custody for similar threats to an ex-partner.

Police were informed, the woman's case was given priority and she and her children were relocated.

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