What can you do to help yourself and others???

Remember – If you are being abused by an intimate partner – or if you are trying to recover from this situation, then feeling like you’re going crazy, drinking too much or taking drugs are probably symptoms of having been abused – they are not signs that you’re mad or an alcoholic or drug abuser. While you may need help for these problems, they are often a result of the stress and abuse you have been living with. Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t ask to be abused – or driven crazy!

This seems to be very difficult for people to understand. You can help yourself – and educate others.

Go to our links page and find the Homeworks Trust website. This contains a whole lot of information about domestic violence and mental illness/substance abuse that can be given to people – lawyers, doctors, WINZ …. Use the existing domestic violence support services – understand that they want to help although you might have to help them to understand your situation – give them information from the Homeworks Trust website. Ask services to order the new teaching resource - He Drove Me Mad - and use it to educate their staff and to create a more responsive service. Join the support group – become a hedrovememad member – and share your stories and experiences with other women – tell us what worked and how you’re getting on.

One of the most powerful things we can do to create change is to speak as a group rather than as individuals – joining the hedrovememad support group means that you are not alone. Think of the Dr. Seuss story 'Horton Hears a Who' if you have doubts that joining voices together can work! Write to the head of the Ministerial Taskforce on Domestic Violence – currently the chair is Peter Hughes – the CEO of the Ministry of Social Development. Tell him that the Taskforce has to take seriously the needs of women who go crazy because of domestic violence. This taskforce has representatives from health, justice, social welfare, ACC, CYF etc.

They need to hear our voices.

Peter Hughes, Ministry of Social Development
, P O Box 1556, 
Wellington, 
New Zealand.

Homeworks Trust will continue to lobby raise awareness of this issue. Send us your ideas about how we can do this. When we have generated enough noise on our site we will disseminate information via reports and other fora. This will not reveal any personal details but will express our outrage at not being listened to. Send your ideas for what else women can do to make change and raise this issue.