Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has raised serious concerns about contradictory answers provided by Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and the Welsh Government, regarding the availability of women’s refuges in North Wales that support victims of abuse and exploitation who also struggle with drug and alcohol issues.
Responding to the question by Mrs Finch-Saunders as to why there is no women's refuge in North Wales that can house women who are victims of both sexual assault and exploitation, and drug addiction, the Cabinet Secretary stated “A number of refuges across Wales, including in north Wales, can and do accommodate individuals with these experiences.”
However, after further correspondence, the Welsh Government has stated, in relation to the request by Mrs Finch-Saunders for the names of the refuges, that “Following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you require is not held by the Welsh Government.”
Commenting on the availability of refuges in North Wales for women who are victims of both sexual assault and exploitation, and drug addiction, Janet said:
“This lack of transparency is deeply troubling, but even more concerning is the potential reality that there are no safe spaces specifically designed to support some of the most vulnerable women in North Wales, those fleeing abuse, human trafficking, and severe addiction.“If such refuges do exist, clarity is needed on how many there are and how women in need can access them. If they do not exist, this represents a significant failure to provide essential support for some of the most at-risk individuals in our communities.
“It is completely unacceptable for the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Welsh Government to be providing me with contradictory information. I call on them to urgently clarify this issue and ensure that the necessary services are in place to protect and support vulnerable women across North Wales”.
ENDS
Written Question by Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary set out the reasons as to why there is no women's refuge in north Wales that can house women who are victims of both sexual assault and exploitation, and drug addiction?
Response from Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice: “The statement that there are no refuge spaces in north Wales that can house women who have experienced sexual assault, exploitation and substance misuse is not correct. A number of refuges across Wales, including in north Wales, can and do accommodate individuals with these experiences.
Response from Janet Finch-Saunders: Further to WQ95462, will the Cabinet Secretary name the refuge spaces in north Wales that can house women who have experienced sexual assault, exploitation and substance misuse?
Response from the Cabinet Secretary: We are treating the Member’s information request as a Freedom of Information Act request and we will respond according to the normal FOI process.
Welsh Government response to the Freedom of Information Request:
“Following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the
information you require is not held by the Welsh Government.”
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi codi pryderon difrifol am atebion croes a ddarparwyd gan Jane Hutt AS, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, a Llywodraeth Cymru, ynghylch argaeledd llochesi menywod yng Ngogledd Cymru sy'n cefnogi dioddefwyr camdriniaeth a chamfanteisio sydd hefyd â phroblemau cyffuriau ac alcohol.
Wrth ymateb i'r cwestiwn gan Mrs Finch-Saunders ynglŷn â pham nad oes lloches i fenywod yn y Gogledd a all gartrefu menywod sy'n dioddef ymosodiadau rhywiol a chamfanteisio, a chaethiwed i gyffuriau, dywedodd Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, "Gall nifer o lochesi ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys rhai yn y Gogledd, ddarparu ar gyfer unigolion â’r profiadau hyn, ac maen nhw’n gwneud hynny"
Fodd bynnag, ar ôl gohebu ymhellach, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud, mewn perthynas â chais Mrs Finch-Saunders am enwau'r llochesi, "Yn dilyn chwiliad o'n cofnodion papur ac electronig, rwyf wedi sefydlu nad yw'r wybodaeth sydd ei hangen arnoch yn cael ei chadw gan Lywodraeth Cymru."
Wrth sôn am lochesi sydd ar gael yn y Gogledd ar gyfer menywod sy'n dioddef ymosodiadau rhywiol a chamfanteisio, ac sy’n gaeth i gyffuriau, dywedodd Janet:
"Mae'r diffyg tryloywder hwn yn peri gofid mawr, ond pryder pellach yw’r realiti posibl nad oes lleoedd diogel wedi'u cynllunio'n benodol i gefnogi rhai o'r menywod mwyaf agored i niwed yn y Gogledd, y rhai sy'n ffoi rhag camdriniaeth, rhag masnachu mewn pobl, ac sydd â phroblemau dibyniaeth difrifol."Os oes llochesi o'r fath yn bodoli, mae angen eglurder ynghylch sawl un sydd yna a sut y gall menywod mewn angen fanteisio arnyn nhw. Os nad ydyn nhw’n bodoli, mae’n cynrychioli methiant sylweddol i ddarparu cefnogaeth hanfodol i rai o'r unigolion mwyaf bregus yn ein cymunedau.
"Mae'n gwbl annerbyniol i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a Llywodraeth Cymru roi gwybodaeth groes i mi. Rwy'n galw arnyn nhw i egluro'r mater hwn ar unwaith a sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau angenrheidiol ar waith i amddiffyn a chefnogi menywod bregus ar draws y Gogledd ".
DIWEDD
Ffoto: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
Cwestiwn Ysgrifenedig gan Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): A wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet nodi'r rhesymau pam nad oes lloches i fenywod yng ngogledd Cymru sy'n gallu cartrefu menywod sydd wedi dioddef ymosodiad rhywiol a chamfanteisio, a bod yn gaeth i gyffuriau?
Ymateb gan Jane Hutt AS, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol: "Nid yw'r datganiad nad oes lleoedd lloches yng ngogledd Cymru a all gartrefu menywod sydd wedi profi ymosodiad rhywiol, camfanteisio a chamddefnyddio sylweddau yn gywir. Gall nifer o lochesi ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys yng ngogledd Cymru, ddarparu ar gyfer unigolion gyda'r profiadau hyn.
Ymateb gan Janet Finch-Saunders: Ymhellach i WQ95462, a wnaiff yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet enwi'r llochesi yng ngogledd Cymru a all gartrefu menywod sydd wedi profi ymosodiad rhywiol, camfanteisio a chamddefnyddio sylweddau?
Ymateb gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet: Rydyn ni’n trin cais gwybodaeth yr Aelod fel cais dan y Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth a byddwn yn ymateb yn unol â'r broses Rhyddid Gwybodaeth arferol.
Ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru i'r Cais Rhyddid Gwybodaeth:
"Yn dilyn chwiliad o'n cofnodion papur ac electronig, rwyf wedi sefydlu nad yw'r wybodaeth sydd ei hangen arnoch yn cael ei chadw gan Lywodraeth Cymru."
Ffoto: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
