Safer Wales and Welsh Women’s Aid agree with the Echo’s report that Cllr McEvoy has not withdrawn his central accusations that women’s organisations in Wales are committing “publicly-funded child abuse” and “helping women to defy court orders”. We have neither received an apology nor a retraction of his outrageous defamatory statements.
The article in last week’s (8th Dec) Echo documents Cllr McEvoy’s continued hate campaign against organisations that provide life-saving services to women, men and children who are experiencing or fleeing domestic abuse. Such a campaign can undermine confidence for victims, discourage them reporting these horrific crimes and from accessing services, putting families’ lives at risk.
Safer Wales provides advocacy services to both women and men. The Safer Wales Dyn Project and Helpline work closely with Welsh Women’s Aid and other women’s groups to protect women and men and those forgotten victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, that is, children.
We advocate the importance of fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives following separation – provided that involvement does not present a risk to the child’s welfare, and that the child’s views and best interests are taken into consideration. This is compatible with Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Decisions around child contact are always up to the Courts to decide and it is rare for Women’s Aid groups to provide reports or statements in cases where child contact has been applied for by a father.
Last year, Welsh Women’s Aid’s member groups provided support to nearly 2000 women and over 1500 children and young people, while Safer Wales receives over 2300 referrals for women and over 300 for men who are victims of domestic abuse annually.
Cllr McEvoy’s continues to misuse his position and waste taxpayers’ money to propagate a hate campaign against vital charities. It is now time that Cllr McEvoy be held accountable for his words and actions. We call for his immediate resignation.
Anyone experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence in Wales can contact the free, bilingual, gender-neutral and confidential All Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
