{"id":51483,"date":"2021-03-04T16:37:59","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T16:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=51483"},"modified":"2021-03-05T09:13:15","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T09:13:15","slug":"fund-for-domestic-abuse-survivors-started-by-man-who-saved-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2021\/03\/04\/fund-for-domestic-abuse-survivors-started-by-man-who-saved-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Fund for domestic abuse survivors started by man who \u2018saved\u2019 Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Money will help Welsh families set up house after fleeing violence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A CARDIFF man who raised money to buy last-minute children\u2019s gifts over Christmas is using the leftover cash to set up a new support service for people fleeing domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dad-of-three Liam Schewitz, 42, who lives in Pontcanna, made headlines<\/a><\/strong> in December for his efforts to get food and gifts to families in need when a national lockdown was called just days before Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Schewitz says: \u201cWhen we did the thing over Christmas, between 200 and 300 families got helped directly. One of the more prevailing reasons they needed us was that they were re-establishing a home after fleeing domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome of the stories were particularly affecting, particularly painful to read. That sort of stuff doesn\u2019t just happen at Christmas time, it happens all year round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt that that would be a worthwhile cause, to get the referrals from domestic violence agencies like Llamau, Women\u2019s Aid and so on, and make sure that the things that government doesn\u2019t make provision for, such as clothing, soft furnishings, toys, kitchenware, are taken care of for these families, so that they can have the best restart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pandemic has had a significant impact on both domestic abuse sufferers and the services that support them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data<\/a><\/strong> published by the Office for National Statistics in November showed an increase to police-recorded domestic abuse-related offences during last year\u2019s lockdown. Around a fifth of crimes reported were related to domestic abuse, though it’s thought that this may be down to people spending more time at home, and being more sensitive to goings on in their community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n