Saoirse today called for clarity from the Government on the level of funding that will be provided to the hard-pressed sector as it continues to deal with increasing levels of domestic abuse and coercive control.
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In Ireland in 2018, there were 3,256 requests for accommodation to women’s refuges unmet and 56,627 calls answered to Helplines.
Saoirse has been very busy since the beginning of lockdown. The escalation in the numbers of women and children who have been supported over the past number of months in the refuges, on the 24 hour helpline 01 4630000 and through our prevention and outreach services, sadly reflects the escalation of Domestic Abuse we have been hearing about, both nationally and internationally.
Domestic abuse isn’t always physical. Coercive control, which is now a crime on our statute books, is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used by the perpetrator, to harm, punish, and or frighten their victim. The victims are mainly women and children though some men can also be victims of these crimes.
This controlling behaviour is designed to make a person dependent by isolating them from support, exploiting them, depriving them of independence and regulating their everyday behaviour. Very often the abuser will gradually create a dependency, which becomes a total dependency on them.
Unfortunately the circumstances, that we find ourselves in as a consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly during the lockdown period, is the perfect storm for those who find themselves in abusive relationships.
Coercive control creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that pervades all elements of a person’s life. It works to limit their human rights by depriving them of their liberty and reducing their ability for action.
How do you know if this is happening to you?
Some common examples of coercive behaviour are:
We want to thank the many people who have helped to support Saoirse during these unprecedented times by donating via our website www.saoirsewomensfefuge.ie or on our Facebook Page. We continue to need support as the state funding we receive does not cover all our outgoings. During August this year we dealt with 796 support calls on our helpline. As I write all our intake refuge spaces are full.
Ellen O’Malley Dunlop
Acting CEO Saoirse
Saoirse today called for clarity from the Government on the level of funding that will be provided to the hard-pressed sector as it continues to deal with increasing levels of domestic abuse and coercive control.
From a recent article published in the Sunday Times Magazine, “I risked our lives to flee” we learned that at least 19 women were killed in suspected domestic violence attacks in the UK during the first six weeks of lockdown (March 23-May 3). According to Women’s Aid one in five women in Ireland is affected by domestic violence. These figures are very disturbing.
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This week Amarach Research in collaboration with Saoirse Women’s Refuge, designed and ran a rapid data collection and response panel to ascertain the prevalence of Domestic Violence in the current lockdown climate, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Past research tells us that one of the commonest contexts for Domestic Violence to thrive, is when the perpetrator isolates the victim from family and friends.
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Domestic Violence and Racism in Irish Society
There’s an old clip from an interview with Muhammad Ali and Michael Parkinson being shared on WhatsApp groups. In the clip Muhammad Ali is recalling asking the question of his mother ‘Why is everything white? Why is Jesus white with blond hair and blue eyes?’ He continues in a very humorous but clever way to highlight the very serious issue of racism. The clip ends with Ali’s statement ‘I was always curious and that’s when I knew something was wrong.
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To address and combat the crime of domestic abuse by providing a safe, supportive and confidential environment through our refuge accommodation, helpline and outreach service for women and children experiencing this crime everyday.