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Thousands seek domestic violence support services for first time during Covid restrictions

July and August were the busiest months for helpline calls.

AROUND 3,450 women and 589 children contacted a domestic violence service for the first time seeking support and safety from abuse and coercive control during the first six months of Covid-19, research shows.

This equates to 575 “new” women and 98 “new” children every month, or 19 new women and three children every day.

A new report from Safe Ireland, called Tracking the Shadow Pandemic, shows these women and children accounted for 29% and 24% respectively, of all those who looked for support from a domestic violence service during the first wave of the Covid-19 crisis.

In total, at least 1,970 women and 411 children received support from a domestic violence service every month over the period.

The tracking study is based on data collected monthly by Safe Ireland from its frontline member services, which is continuing through Ireland’s second lockdown.

Mary McDermott, co-CEO of Safe Ireland, the national hub for 39 frontline domestic violence services, said: “The study exposes, yet again, patterns of domestic violence heightened by this pandemic.

“It also underscores the enormous strains that services throughout the country were under, and continue to endure, as they deal with the impact of lockdown two.”

While the government said it will prioritise domestic violence, McDermott said this has not been backed up by the resources and infrastructural modernisation that is needed.

The six-month report also shows that 33,941 helpline calls were answered across the country over the period, amounting to an average of 184 calls every day.

Compared to 2018, domestic violence services responded to an average of 147 calls a day.

On average, there were 191 women and 288 children staying in domestic violence accommodation, including refuge, safe homes and supported housing, each month.

At the same time, 1,351 requests for refuge – or seven requests per day – could not be met as there was no space, the report found.

McDermott added: “Since the start of Covid-19 the government has prioritised domestic violence and we have always welcomed this.

“But calling something a priority means that it also has to be name-checked in the national budget, and funded and resourced as a priority.

The number of new women and children who came forward during the first lockdown is eye-opening and indicative of the depth of hidden abuse and trauma in this country.

“Our member services have pulled out all the stops to respond to the increasing and complex needs of women and children since March.

“But this is on top of decades of coping with impossible conditions and demands. They are at breaking point now and can no longer be expected to work, without clarity, without adequate resources and within an antiquated infrastructure.”

Safe Ireland said that the data collected reflects the anecdotal stories reported by services from March and August.

Mirroring what Safe Ireland initially referred to as an ominous silence, the number of women accessing services decreased by 8% between March and April as lockdown restrictions came into full effect.

However, since April, the numbers have steadily increased month on month.

In July, at least 2,210 women received support from services, the highest amount of any month.

August saw the highest numbers of children receiving support at 578, an increase of 36% over July figures.

July and August were also the busiest months for helpline calls.

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    Mute Mattress Dick
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:05 PM

    I’ve a 1970s bottle of power’s topped up with cidona

    284
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    Mute William O'Rourke
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    Aug 4th 2020, 7:29 PM

    @Mattress Dick: is there any house in Ireland with teenagers that doesn’t have that ! No rarity value Mattress Dick

    14
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    Mute Pat Kelly
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:07 PM

    Iv a bottle of that McGregor muck.. so called proper 12… lucky if it’s worth €12

    180
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    Mute Kenneth Hayden
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:08 PM

    @Pat Kelly:
    How much will you give me to take it off your hands.

    116
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    Mute Dermot McL
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:30 PM

    @Pat Kelly: I hear it packs a punch.

    40
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    Mute Andrew English
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    Aug 4th 2020, 3:30 PM

    @Pat Kelly: would you drink Bushmills? Same product if so.

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    Mute Kevin O' Brien
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:02 PM

    @Andrew English: it absolutely is not.

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    Mute Michael Carr
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:51 PM

    @Kevin O’ Brien: absolutely is.

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    Mute james mccarthy
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:13 PM

    How come @irishwhiskeyauctions don’t get any coverage ? They regularly sell bottles for more then that on a monthly basis

    68
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:40 PM

    I used top up my dads powers bottle with water when I was young. He used to mark the bottle.
    Jameson! Now that’s a nice whisky.

    39
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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:11 PM

    €12000…. and it probably tastes like hamsters pIss!!

    66
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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:59 PM

    @Joe Toner: not gonna ask how you know

    83
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    Mute Mick Scanlan
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:06 PM

    @Joe Toner: hamsters piss worth a go ?

    38
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    Mute Premier Fitters
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:55 PM

    But whiskey does not age in a glass bottle. It’s aged in casks! So your buying an overpriced probably 10 to 13 year old whiskey in essence. Maybe enjoy your €12k purchase and refill with TK red lemonade lol

    31
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    Mute Martin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:59 PM

    @Premier Fitters: 16 years aged if you read it

    46
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    Mute Premier Fitters
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:00 PM

    @Martin: opps lol

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:56 PM

    @Premier Fitters: yes but you can’t get the taste of this whiskey from that time anywhere else as it hasn’t been made for so long

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:32 PM

    I might be shopping here in future. Cheaper than a supermarket by far!
    https://www.whisky-online.com/auctions/auction/view/0320/126172

    13
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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:38 PM

    @Peter Cavey: Do you know how Auctions work? Commission/Delivery /Vat on delivery and commission etc.

    34
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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:06 PM

    @Bunny Johnson: thanks for the very passive aggressive response. It’s appreciated.

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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Aug 5th 2020, 7:48 AM

    @Peter Cavey: when hiding behind an alias the anonymity must be soothingly enjoyable for these trolls. Perhaps in some way makes the tears less salty in the attic of mom and dads house.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:44 PM

    Where did our home grown booze industries go?.. oh right Diageo bought them and closed them down.

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    Mute Michael McCambridge
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:39 PM

    @thesaltyurchin: Wrong. We lost our export market for booze when we left the commonwealth. Access to the British Empire’s market disappeared .
    Scottish whisky filled the gap. Irish Whiskey distillers lost out.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 8:40 PM

    @Michael McCambridge: … and then Diageo bought all the distilleries and breweries.

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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Aug 5th 2020, 7:51 AM

    @Michael McCambridge: a whole lot more complicated than that… Involving world war, prohibition, technological developments etc.

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    Mute classic
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    Aug 4th 2020, 6:01 PM

    Jameson is the best

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    Mute Ewan O'Doherty
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:29 PM

    If I win the Lotto in the meantime I’ll consider bidding

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