Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock

Domestic violence: Over 2,000 children taken to emergency refuges last year

Services across Ireland answered 46,137 helpline calls in 2013 — or 126 calls each day.

ANNUAL FIGURES RELEASED by SAFE Ireland, the national organisation of domestic violence services, show that at least 8,033 women and 3,424 children received support last year.

Services across Ireland answered 46,137 helpline calls in 2013 — or 126 calls each day.

The annual figures also show that 1,769 individual women and 2,699 children were accommodated in or received supports in an emergency refuge last year.

CEO of SAFE Ireland Sharon O’Halloran noted that the numbers seeking refuge haven’t varied hugely since 2011 because refuges are operating at full capacity.

“The statistics are shocking again this year,” O’Halloran said.

“But there comes a point when shocking has to mean something, when shocking has to be taken seriously.

Our services are operating beyond their capacity. They have been for years.

“In order to support these women and the women we know we are not hearing from we need additional capacity across all our services as the start of a transformative and meaningful response to women and children.”

O’Halloran said that SAFE Ireland welcomed last week’s comprehensive Justice Committee Report on Domestic and Sexual Violence, including recommendations to strengthen protection for victims of domestic violence.

Read: Should domestic violence be treated more seriously than public assault?

Also: Asylum working group criticised for including only one (former) asylum-seeker

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
7 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rusty Balls
    Favourite Rusty Balls
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 9:56 AM

    Here we go again, while nobody would ever condone violence against women or any other person, why is Domestic Violence constantly being portrayed as a crime against women and children carried out by men? The statistics have repeatedly shown that both men and women are capable of violence towards one another but there are no refuges for men.
    To use biased figures of the numbers of women and children housed in refuges suggests no men required such help, yet we know a similar amount must have had. The truth is there are no such refuges in the country for men, it’s like saying men don’t need them because they don’t use them. They would if they existed.
    Domestic violence is a crime against the person, regardless of what sex the victim or perpetrator is, and it should be treated as such. We don’t ask victims of any other assault what sex they are and then treat them differently, imagine a victim of a mugging calling an ambulance to find they only treat women, walk to hospital. Cut the discrimination out of it and deal with the violence.

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Keelty
    Favourite Brian Keelty
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 9:54 AM

    Imagine, no beds are available for male victims of DV… not one in the whole country and yet on excess of 30 million a year goes to secure housing for women… why is that?

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amy O Toole
    Favourite Amy O Toole
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 10:53 AM

    Were are u gettin 30 million provided for these women and childeren??ur ri theres bad services for men but have u ever had to avail if these services it aint cosy for women or childeren either

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pam El A
    Favourite Pam El A
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 11:02 AM

    The comments under any article like this totally explain why we still need feminism!
    Are these men suggesting that there should not be DV services for women and children?
    Yes, there should be services for men too but holy moloney it takes a special kind of person to begrudge a safe place for women with children to flee to!

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pam El A
    Favourite Pam El A
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 11:06 AM

    And let me add that I have a teenage boy- I wouldn’t be able to access many of the refuges in Ireland myself if I needed to but I understand why the rules are in place. We do need more self contained emergency accommodation for families including men and men with kids but I do not believe attacking the current services is in any way helpful to survivors of abuse regardless of their gender.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rusty Balls
    Favourite Rusty Balls
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 11:21 AM

    @ Pam Nobody suggested that refuges for women and children should ten should be removed but that if DV is to be recognised for the crime it is then it shouldn’t be a crime only committed by men against women. It should be a crime against the person, one that can, and does happen to anyone, regardless of sex. If women truly want equality then the sex of a victim should have no bearing on the support available to them, but in this country it has an enormous bearing on it. While I wouldn’t wish it, and as you said it’s no picnic, if you’re a victim of DV there’s a huge national support network available to you with refuges etc. But if it happens to your son his only support available is AMEN and no refuge available. That is not equality.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dr. Patrick Talbot
    Favourite Dr. Patrick Talbot
    Report
    Oct 22nd 2014, 1:32 PM

    An aside. How many of these people are foreigners ? Whats the big secret ? Surerly the taxpayer should know ?

    9
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      News in 60 seconds