WHILE THE holiday season is traditionally considered a time of family togetherness, the stresses accompanying the buildup for Christmas often lead to increased family vio- lence, according to the program coordinator for the Emily Murphy Transitional House in North Vancouver.

**Lots of times people feel real- ly alienated from their family, from society,’” says Carol Ward-Hall.

The home acts as a refuge for battered women and_ their children. At this time of year Emily Murphy House tends to ex- perience either one of two trends, Ward-Hall says.

The house either has few occu-

By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter

appear in January at the house; or the house is busy throughout the season because women anticipate an increase in violence.

“This Christmas it seems people are coming before. Sometimes people try to hold it together for Christmas, then transition houses

person capacity with four mothers and six children.

“A lot of women leave when the violence hits their children. They'll accept it for themselves — that’s one thing — but not for their children.”*

She points to several factors in the holiday season that may lead to stress and increased abuse: ¢the holidays may prompt adult batterers’ memories of abuse they expereinced as a child at Christmas; ¢ increased alcohol and drug use at Christmas; © increased tension and conflict at social gatherings because family does not get along with extended

Wednesday, December 26, 1990 - North Shore News - 13

Family violence rises over holidays

*® increased pressure to spend money when the financial resources are not available to do so.

Ward-Hall recalls an incident when she was working at a transi- tional house in Richmond a few years ago in which a mother and kids turned up on Christmas Day.

“The father had had a huge temper tantrum because he didn't like the Christmas gifts the children had given him,”’ she says.

in 1989, Emily Murphy House had a total of 249 people stay — 131 women and 118 children. The house refused 759 individuals because it was full or the appii- cants may have had problems such

Pants because women stay with their spouses in an attempt to ‘*keep it together’’ for the kids, despite increased abuse, and then

are

inundated Ward-Hall says, adding that Emi- ly Murphy is now filled to its 10-

family; * feelings loneliness;

in January,’’

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area extending from Deep Cove to Pemberton, but will take referrals from other areas as well.

Ward-Hall is «urging battered women (9 get in touch with Emily Murphy Transitional House or to attend @ support group that meets each Thursday.

“Vd really like women to know if they're experiencing any kind of abuse -- emotional, physical, sex- ual — they can come and talk to us at Emily Murphy House. They don’t have to stay.””

Each month, counsellors at Emily Murphy House do 50 hours of outreach work with women who phone for help on their 24- hour line. For information on the support group or Emily Murphy Transitional House, call 987-3374.

Police seek information

THE NORTH Vancouver RCMP are seeking public assistance to solve three recent break and enter cases.

in the early morning hours of Dec. 5, police responded to a teport of a residential break and enter in the 5000-block of Blue- berry Lane. Suspects gained en- trance by prying open a window. They left with a large ameunt of cash and jewelry.

During the same period, suspects entered a fish and chip shop located in the 100-block West {3th Street. Suspects van- dalized the premises and made off with a small amount of cash.

Meanwhile on Dec. 4, a market located in the 2200-block of Panorama Drive was broken into and suspects left with money and cigarettes.

Anyone with information on any of these break and enter inci- dents can contact North Van- couver RCMP at 985-1311.

Reporter gets lesson

From page 412

our oxygen tanks. Ramsay and the other firefighter in the house with us still had a fair supply left. Mine was nearly empty. [ didn't realize how heavily [ was breathing when inside the house.

Next, Ramsay said he was going to set one of the bedrooms on fire and we would wait until the flames got good and high before we would go back inside. He ex- plained the drill.

“Two guys with a hose will go in first. You go in behind them and Fil be behind you...unless of course you run over me on your way out the door, then I'll be in front of you,”’ quipped Ramsay.

As we stood outside the house, Ramsay appeared from around the side of the building and mo- tioned me to come to where he was. As | walked around the side of the house he pointed to the bedroom window. Flames were leaping from the windcw and had started to engulf part of the roof.

We walked around to the back door, and | started to crawl into the burning house behind two firefighters holding a hose. The entire house was filled with smoke and I could not see very much.

The two firefighters in front of me opened the door to the burn- ing bedroom and slowly made their way in. J crawled in right behind them. While I could hear the fire, I could not see it. The entire bedroom was filled with thick black smoke.

The two firefighters in front of me shouted at each other in an at- tempt to communicate. They were trying to find the blaze. I heard one of them shout to the other to point the hose in the position of “12 o’clock’’. Then I heard the sound of gushing water.

The fire was soon out.

We walked back outside and took off our oxygen masks.