Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with Victims of Crime NT CEO Melinda Fleming

Transcript

Katie Woolf spoke with Victims of Crime NT CEO Melinda Fleming · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: You want to know what's happening on the political landscape,
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Katie wolf Hazard covered on three point sixty.
• 0:06
  Speaker 2: Everyone is listening Mix one oh four point nine.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Mix one ow four point nine. And
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: we know that we often speak to those who are
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: victims of crime and many sort of feelers are they're
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: forgotten in the whole discussion about crime around the Northern Territory.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: But joining me on the line right now is actually
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: the CEO of Victims of Crime here in the Territory,
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Melinda Fleming.
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: Good morning, Melinda, Good morning Katie.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Melinda. Can you tell me what exactly does Victims of
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Crime do?
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: Yeah, well, Victims of Crime MANTI. First, I'll clarify that
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: we're a community organization, so we're not for profit. We're
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: often confused as being government. We do have a great
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: funding partnership with the Northern Territory government, but we are
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: run by a voluntary board and incorporated, so we are
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: a community group as such, and what we really aim
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: to do is to assist people in communities that have
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: been affected by crime in range of ways.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: And I know these different programs and different initiatives that
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: you've got for people who have become victims of crime,
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: aren't they there are?
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: Certainly yes. We've got what we consider our emotional support arms,
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: so we provide information, support, reassurance, we can advocate for people,
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: we can make longer term referrals for them if they
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: need additional assistance. They just try and get them back
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: on track in that crisis kind of window immediately after
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: crime and help them get back on their feet and
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: back to daily life. We also offer some support through
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: property crime programs. Not that includes financial assistance. Unfortunately, our
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: bucket of money isn't limitless, but we do try and
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: reach as many people as we can with clean up
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: and resecures after residential unlawful entries. We also help small businesses.
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: I heard Char on the phone before as well. It's always,
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: you know, a small contribution, you know, to ease the
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: financial burden, but you know it's something that helps and
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: helps people get back on track.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: I would imagine sometimes people just do need somebody to
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: talk to as well.
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: They absolutely do. You know, crime can impact people in
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: such different ways and that all depends on you know,
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: previous experiences of trauma in our lives and you know,
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: for one person, an unlawful entry where someone is into
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: their home, which is you know, our sacred space, and
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: we invite people in. You know, that can be incredibly
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: traumatic and can take you a while to recover. I've
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: heard people say I had to take a month off work,
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: I still can't sleep at night. Yet others will get
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: up you know, you know, you know, be a bit
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: cranky and angry about it and just defiably so and
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: you know, get on with it. So it's different for
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: different people, and we try and be here for everyone,
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: regardless of their circumstances.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: Melinda, how many people have you helped in the last year?
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: Oh gosh, wow, I've to took my head or probably
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: a couple of thousand, two to three thousdn't in terms
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: of yeah, yeah, definitely now that don't quote me on
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: that nut number, but off the top of my head, yeah,
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: I'm thinking that because we do provide a hell of
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: information on a daily basis, and you know, as incidents
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: happen and we get referrals from police, we call people
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: every single day and then people call us as well.
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: So we're quite a busy service, and you know, we're
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: here for people that are affected, and so I want
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: to do all that we can and in the preventative
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: space as well. So you know, we offer free home
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: security assessments for people who are concerned about safety, being
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: safe at home and you know, try and give them
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: tips and tricks which might make a difference and prevent
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: them from becoming a victim in the future.
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: And Melinda, have you seen an increase over the last
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: year or so or have things been fairly steady from
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: your perspective.
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I think COVID, you know, obviously flowed things
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: down for us. We had a very large spike prior
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: to COVID, then things slowed down. They are very system
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: at the moment, but particularly you know, it's evident in
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: the southern region, in Alice Springs and in Tennant Creek.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: We have quite we have an office in Alice Springs
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: when we travel to Tannant Creek, so we spend time
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: there and there's definitely, you know, a demand there at
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: the moment.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: We're quite often here on the show about some of
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: our elderly territorians. Who are you know, who are being
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: broken into or who are being assaulted? Do you think
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: or you know, are you are you finding that you
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: have quite a number of senior territorians seeking help at
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: the moment or do you think that maybe they're just
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: the stories that I'm hearing more about.
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: No, we certainly do. Our seniors are you know, one
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: of our vulnerable groups when we need to support them.
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: As a result of that, in the last year, we've
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: done some collaboration with Neighborhood Watch and we've developed a
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: senior personal safety workshops and we've been taking those across
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: the territory and they've been really well attended. We're about
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: to head to Tanant Creek to set a couple of
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: those up in a couple of month time. And you know,
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: there is a need there. People want to feel safe
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: and they need to feel confident, and I guess there's
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: a lot of that. A lot of it is about
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: situational awareness as well, and just you know, you can
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: keep yourself safe in a range of practical ways. It's
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: just knowing how to do that and feeling confident enough
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: in your ability to do that.
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: We'd be really keen to have you back on when
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: you do roll some of those programs out, Particularly for
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: our seniors. I think if there's anything that we can
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: do to try to help them to not be sort
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: of targeted, then it would, you know, it would be
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: a really good thing. I just find it so disturbing
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: when you hear about some of our more senior territorians
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: who you know, have been victims of crime.
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it is distressing and the stories aren't that aren't
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: nice to hear, and we do need to help them,
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: support these people to feel safe. Yeah about that. Happy
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: to talk further.
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely. I know you are pressed for time today
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: and we were running late, so I do apologize. I
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: do want to just ask you quickly when it comes
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: to funding. You said earlier that you know you don't
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: have a huge bucket of money. I mean, have you
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: got enough to deliver the programs that you want to
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: deliver around the territory.
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: Look, every community organization will say there's never enough funding.
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: I think that we have great funding relationships and that
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: we are funded quite well for a community organization. Look,
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: it's hard to say at this point in time. I
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: think we have fun to go around, but we don't
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: know if there's a spike. Sometimes, you know, the demand
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: increases and then all of a sudden we find ourselves
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: in a position of odia. You know that funding might
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: not last. You know, last year we had to introduce,
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: you know, some were to refine our eligibility criteria in
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: order to make those funds last, and the government did
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: also give us some extra funds, so we were really
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: fortunate to make ends meet that way. But at this
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: point in time, I'll say, yes, I think we're okay
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: and we're able to deliver those extra workshops such as
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: the seniors personal safety in order to do a bit
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: of that prevention work as well, which is really really important, Melinda.
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: For anybody listening this morning who has been a victim
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: of crime, what would you say to them?
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: Call us anytime where we have a twenty four hour
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: phone number one eight hundred and sixty seven two two,
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: four to two. Through the day, We've got staff in
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: office in Darwin and in our springs, and overnight we've
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: got a wonderful team of volunteers. You're on roster answering
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: your calls, providing reassurance. They can call contractors in the
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: middle of the night to assist if needed, and we'll
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: follow up with you the next day. So we are
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: here to help and we'll do whatever we can to
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: help you recover and restore as quickly as possible.
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: Good on you. Guys, and thank you for the work
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: that you do. Like you pointed out right at the start,
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: you are a community organization, you're a not for profit
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: and the work that you do really is essential in
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: helping Territorians who've been victims of crime. Melinda Fleming, CEO
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: of Victims of Crime here in the Territory. We really
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: appreciate your time today.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: Thanks very much, Katie, good to talk.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: Thank you