[petit]

I am a 37 year old female gambler and I and the other women who attend this group need your URGENT help and support to stop the closure of the only UK therapeutic group for female problem gamblers run by GamCare in January 2012. The reason we have been given for the closure is that the group is not seen as being cost effective following a Clinical Service Review.

The ways in which you can support this campaign are:
1). Sign the petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/womengamblers/
2). Email the Chief Executive of GamCare objecting to the closure. andy.mclellan@gamcare.org.uk;
3). Write to the Chief Executive of GamCare objecting to the closure.

Mr Andy McLellan
Chief Executive
GamCare
2nd Floor
7-11 St John’s Hill
London
SW11 1TR

This group is vital and a lifeline to many Female Gamblers and the more people who are willing to support our campaign the greater our chances on saving this group from closure.

Background to the group

The Women’s group was set up and run by Liz Karter 5 years ago a pioneering therapist who specialises in women and problem gambling. Liz is often consulted by the media on the subject. She has made appearances on BBC TV’s ‘Missing Live’, ITVs ‘This Morning,’ Radio 4 ‘Woman’s Hour’, Radio 4 ‘You and Yours’ and several local radio broadcasts. Newspaper interviews include ‘The Observer’, ‘The Mirror’ and ‘Racing Post’. Liz is also a regular conference speaker on the issue of women and problem gambling and a member of the Executive Committee of The Society for The Study Of Gambling. The reason why the group was set up was that there was no group support for female problem gamblers and that all the existing support groups e.g. Gamblers Anonymous were and still are predominately male and many females find this a threatening and intimidating environment.

Some of you may be asking yourself why is to so important that this Women’s group is saved from being closed down by GamCare in January 2012? There are many reasons but the main ones are:

1. This is the only group in the whole of the UK exclusively for female problem gamblers following the closure of the other group run by GamCare in London Bridge in February 2011.
2. The number of female problem gamblers has increased over the last few years and will continue to do so as the gambling industry is exploiting female gamblers over the internet. The demand for this type of group will increase as more and more women come forward to get the help and support that they need. (However, one of the biggest problems is that many female problem gamblers are unaware that this type of group exists and it really needs to be advertised more widely to let female gamblers know that it exists, they are not alone and help is available).
3. The decision made by GamCare to close the Women’s group in January 2012 has been made on the basis of costs rather than the clinical need for this group. A presentation made to the British Psychological Society by GamCare in July 2010 on Women and problem gambling clearly shows that there is a clear clinical need for this group. http://www.gamcare.org.uk/data/files/Psychology_of_Women_Conference_July_2010.pdf
The statistics from this presentation show:
• 70% are unemployed and on benefits
• 45% are single mothers
• 75% present with a mental health diagnosis
• 50% have a history of cross addiction, self harm or eating disorders
• 95% report sexual, physical or psychological abuse in childhood or as an adult.
As you can see for yourself it is vital that we stop GamCare closing down the Women’s group in January 2012.
4. At present there is not enough clinical evidence as to the best way to treat gambling addictions although clinical evidence is being gathered all the time. Despite this GamCare will now be concentrating on short term CBT courses. Although short term therapy has its place and is useful for some problems, many of the women have been problem gamblers for a long period of time and have deep rooted issues that need to be addressed over a period of time. Therefore women gamblers need long term support like this to address why they gambled in the first place and the reasons they wanted to escape from reality through gambling.
5. Many female gamblers feel scared, frightened, ashamed and alone and that they are the only one’s who gamble like this. For this reason they do not get the help and support from other female gamblers who have been through similar experiences and feel understood as a person. Many of the women who currently attend the group run by GamCare in Clapham Junction travel a long distance to attend.

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to read this and for your support on this very important issue.

 

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