The charity struggles to fundraise due to the ‘stigma domestic abuse carries’, said Marine Oliveira, service manager, who added that it was busier than ever.
Figures released this year show demand for its outreach services doubled between 2017 and last year, from 78 cases to 161.
The government currently provides 50% of the charity’s required annual funding.
Ms Oliveira confirmed that the service needed funding of more than £400,000 a year to run and last year incurred a £80,000 deficit.
She added that despite the ‘welcome government support and generous public donations’ the charity still struggled.
Asked whether this impacted the services provided, Ms Oliveira said: ‘We currently have just one child and young person support worker who we can only fund to work part-time. So when you consider that there were over 1,000 reported incidents of domestic abuse last year, 40% of which had children present, having just one support worker out there isn’t enough.’
She added: ‘Jersey Women’s Refuge regularly runs an operating deficit, eating into its reserves, and faces a real challenge to fundraise due to the stigma domestic abuse carries.
‘While there are some companies which support us, domestic abuse is a difficult subject which some companies feel more wary about getting behind than other charities which might carry less of a stigma. It is a topic which can make some people feel uncomfortable.’
During the most recent States sitting, the government was criticised by backbenchers including Deputy Carina Alves for only giving the charity weeks’ notice of its funding for this year.
Deputy Kirsten Morel called for longer financial commitments – of at least five years – to give the Refuge extra stability. Deputy Richard Renouf told the Assembly the government had committed to fund the charity in 2020 and had increased its monetary support in line with RPI from £209,000 a year to £215,000.
Domestic abuse, latest figures show, accounts for one in six crimes reported in Jersey.
In the 12 months preceding April this year the police saw a spike in new and repeat reports of domestic abuse – especially from relationships deemed to be high-risk.
It is estimated that one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse in their lives and as many as 400 children in Jersey are currently living in homes where there is abuse.
Ms Oliveira added: ‘Jersey Women’s Refuge is very grateful for the support the government gives us and we would not be able to survive without it. Jersey Women’s Refuge provides much more than a safe house and supports vulnerable women and children well before they are at crisis point and beyond their stay at Refuge.’
The government released its Domestic Abuse Strategy earlier this year and is currently working on a draft domestic abuse law.
