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.

Domestic Violence deepblue-photographer

Cuts to domestic violence services are "hacking away at life-lines"

Demand for refuge spaces in Dublin is four times what one domestic abuse service can provide.

THE CEO OF a domestic abuse service has said that a survey that this week found high numbers of women being turned away from domestic abuse services proved that cuts to the sector needed to be stopped.

Fiona Ryan of Sonas, which provides refuge, support and housing to hundreds of women and children every year across the greater Dublin region, said cuts to frontline services were “hacking at the life-lines to women and children”.

The sector has received cuts of €4.5 million since 2008, campaigners say, and there are less than a third the number of refuge beds recommended by the Council of Europe.

Ryan says that the issue must be tackled as a matter of urgency.

Demand for our refuge spaces is almost four times that of what we are able to provide. We know from our experience of working with women and their children for the past 21 years that women do not make the decision to flee their homes lightly.

The SAFE Ireland survey, entitled One Day in November, showed that on 6 November last year, 22 pregnant women sought help from domestic abuse charities. Ryan says that the number of pregnant women who are being abused could be as high as one in eight.

[Despite] the research – the study from a leading Dublin maternity hospital showing one in eight women were being abused during their pregnancy – the evidence from Safe Ireland demonstrating the scale of domestic violence and the fact that it happens at all stages of a woman’s life, including pregnancy, we still seem unable to recognize or respond effectively to domestic violence.

“Add to these cuts to front line services and we have a situation where the safety of women and children is being put at risk.”

Read: 22 pregnant women looked for safety from violence – on one day

Read: Over 3,000 domestic abuse victims helped by support commission last year

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
13 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Caulfield
    Favourite Joe Caulfield
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:03 AM

    How does that 60k compare to the 2 million euros Shannon receives from the US military every year?

    351
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute owenmor
    Favourite owenmor
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:08 AM

    Small change compared to the 2 million Shane Ross wasted on making the public services card mandatory when applying for a driving licence

    222
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Molloy
    Favourite Tom Molloy
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 6:48 AM

    Vandals/ISIS sympathisers that have damaged planes in the past are to blame.

    177
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carlin Ite
    Favourite Carlin Ite
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:12 AM

    @Tom Molloy: ISIS sympathisers would you ever fcuk off.

    136
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Maloney
    Favourite James Maloney
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Tom Molloy: Good point Tom.

    21
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Molloy
    Favourite Tom Molloy
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 12:34 PM

    @James Maloney: Fear of decapitation is already creating converts/lackeys in Ireland.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ros Aodha
    Favourite Ros Aodha
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 9:20 PM

    @Tom Molloy: already happened, Irish people on-board flight on 911, Irish people murdered on a beach in Tunisia, Irish people injured in bataclan. Irish clown who converted having failed to become a priest and blew himself up, Islam isn’t the problem, radicalisation is … Khalid Kelly.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:09 AM

    Surely this man , is the son of god .
    I’d rather American soldiers going through Shannon airport , than Isis or German soldiers .

    122
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hugh Corcoran
    Favourite Hugh Corcoran
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 9:14 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: you’re right, let’s allow the biggest war morgering nation on the planet use Shannon. You never know, if we ever find any meaningful resources in the country, might just save us from receiving a good old dose of American freedom. In saying that I could be tempted with a bit of regime change.

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Conway
    Favourite Sean Conway
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 9:22 AM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Look at all the lives saved by US forces in the middle east. the nation of peace.

    31
    See 7 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 9:36 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: I’m not happy about military planes going through Shannon.
    It’s the government who allow this , most Irish people don’t want it .
    But if I had to choose between Isis , Germany , or the democratic people’s republic of Korea , I’d choose America .

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 9:41 AM

    @Sean Conway: They’re wrong in what they do , I agree .
    Iraq was a land grab , 100% .
    Now I can’t control the world , but if I could vote , my preference wouldn’t be for the ideology that led 19 men to fly planes into buildings .

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seamus Mac
    Favourite Seamus Mac
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 10:02 AM

    @Hugh Corcoran: “biggest war mongering nation” I’d say the Russians have that accolade at the moment: Crimea, Ukraine, Syria etc.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hatchjaw
    Favourite Hatchjaw
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 1:06 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: How do you know what most Irish people want?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek Teeling
    Favourite Derek Teeling
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 1:42 PM

    @Clinton Baptiste: Gobsiht

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 5:53 PM

    @Hatchjaw: I put on a high -viz and poll them .
    On my days off I just listen to them at work .

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Denis McClean
    Favourite Denis McClean
    Report
    May 28th 2018, 1:44 AM

    @Seamus Mac: So what percentage of the Crimean population is Russian and isn’t Obama on record as saying he wanted regime change in Syria? I’m thinking you might not be as Irish as your name suggests David.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Scott Crossfield
    Favourite Scott Crossfield
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:48 AM

    Times have changed as they’ve moved most of their stuff out to Belfast and other places so the tree huggers and the odd couple will have achieved most of their goals. While cutting deeper into Shannon’s downward spiral

    90
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute White Rabbit
    Favourite White Rabbit
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:17 AM

    @Scott Crossfield: good stuff

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Declan Byrne
    Favourite Declan Byrne
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:42 AM

    We need to allow the Americans use this as a permanent Air Force base . That give Mick something to give out about .

    87
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Stapleton
    Favourite Martin Stapleton
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:44 AM

    Look,
    Imagine if you said that the cost of each stop off was €722-00. Just doesn’t feel so good when you’re trying to create a headline I guess. Let it go for God sake.

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:07 AM

    @Martin Stapleton: They could tell us how much was spent in the duty free shop .
    If Mick Wallace is reading this , Mick , only duty free shops are exempt from paying certain taxes , everyone else needs to pay theirs .

    99
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seth Cheffetz
    Favourite Seth Cheffetz
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:27 AM

    How does 60k compare to the millions when the Queen visited? Or when the Pope makes his visit?

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve1234
    Favourite Steve1234
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:23 AM

    Rather spend money here than the huge amount of tax payers money (of which a third are opposed) that will be used to fund the slaughter of unborn Irish babies.

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rob Lyn
    Favourite Rob Lyn
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 11:00 AM

    So the salary of one or two officers. That is shocking! :) still less than a certain TDs avoided taxes and less than his current salary. This is really a non story journal!

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cheryl Mellett
    Favourite Cheryl Mellett
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 10:05 AM

    The reason the figure is so low is The Defence Forces don’t get paid overtime. They get very small rates of substitution allowance to cover meals and very basic expenses. For 12 hours it’s aprox 40 euro.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 10:53 AM

    @Cheryl Mellett: can you imagine joining an army , and your job is cleaning up after real soldiers .

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Moss Cotter
    Favourite Moss Cotter
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:30 AM

    Always be thankful the Nazis never invaded Ireland during ww2 for the simple reason that it would have been very embarrassing to see how eager a little helper paddy would have been in shipping out Jewish population for extermation..ah but I hear you cry there might have been a few bob in it

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 10:50 AM

    @Moss Cotter: At least nowadays we don’t do what the Germans want .
    Oh wait !

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ros Aodha
    Favourite Ros Aodha
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 7:30 PM

    Not bad for a non neutral state providing support to a strategic ally and trading partner. Have you compared that with the garda bill for the same operation? I’ve enjoyed watching this non news item getting slated. The real story here is the low pay that our enlisted soldiers are on.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stewart O Neill
    Favourite Stewart O Neill
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 12:24 PM

    Hope the US are getting the bill

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clinton Baptiste
    Favourite Clinton Baptiste
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 6:12 PM

    @Stewart O Neill: Israel pays for it , after they take it out of the ANC budget .
    Sticking babies in microwaves is cheaper than buying bullets .

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Whitehead
    Favourite Paul Whitehead
    Report
    May 28th 2018, 12:15 AM

    Why are we not using this money on the truly needy? You could dress Clare Daly and Mick Wallace in lovely clothes for a fraction of that 60k.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stevie Doran
    Favourite Stevie Doran
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 11:39 PM

    Who cares Mick Wallace

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kelly
    Favourite William Kelly
    Report
    May 28th 2018, 6:49 AM

    Shure, what else would the army be doing, only protecting the States from protesters.
    Can’t have any of that carry on that might upset inward investment like Doonbeg & the vulture funds.
    Never mind that several wars are being supplied through neutral Ireland.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roner555
    Favourite Roner555
    Report
    May 27th 2018, 8:21 PM

    Probably psed of that they are not using Dublin airport

    1
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
News in 60 seconds