Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
Inez Morrison, one of the women who started Woman Incorporated. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Flair continues its year-long partnership with Woman Inc. in celebration of the organisation's 21 years of service to women who are physically, mentally and sexually abused. This month we turn the spotlight on Inez Morrison.
INEZ MORRISON is from a time when people took pleasure in serving. It was this desire and pleasure in serving that led her to establish the Crisis Centre for Woman Inc. and later the Crisis Hotline in 1995.
Having retired as coordinator of the family court she became interested in the family unit. "I became interested in families and it seemed to be a good way to give service. I was retired from active service as coordinator of the family court so I had experience in counselling. I was very excited by the idea. It wasn't very common then to have a place where women could come in and tell their troubles. I invited Lelia Whiteman to assist me as I had worked with her in the family court.
COUNSELLORS
They both worked as counsellors during the day. "The stories we heard exposed what was happening to women in our society."
She noted that to counsel women without any practical help was not very fruitful and this led to the establishment of the crisis shelter in 1986. At nights they had a network of volunteer counsellors. These were members of the organisation who were trained.
From 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., they would remain in their homes and messages left on the answering machine at the centre with the number of the counsellor. "They (volunteers) were very excited. One thing I learnt from that
experience is that it is more important to give them options rather than tell them what to do."
Morrison notes that most times the children were the main reason for the women staying in abusive relationships. With the establishment of the centre, they now had a place to take their children.
VOLUNTEERS
"When we did not have the shelter we had dedicated volunteers who would take them (abused women) into their homes. Woman Inc.. would pay the hostess and we operated like that for a year. That worked but not so well. Society is very diverse so sometimes there would be differences."
She noted that they also faced confidentiality issues. The location of the centre is a secret but sometimes these women would tell the men where they were.
Almost 20 years later, the shelter is still in operation, the hotline still offering a service to women who are still being abused sexually, emotionally and physically. Mrs. Morrison notes that women today seem less tolerant of remaining in abusive relationships but the problem still exists and that makes the work of Woman Inc. always necessary.
