One fifth of reported child abuse cases occurs in the family home

Domestic abuse is one of Ireland’s most serious child protection issues with one in five reported cases of sexual, physical, verbal or psychological child abuse occurring at home.

Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan made the claim after attending Ireland’s first project focusing specifically on the needs of children living with domestic abuse.

The claim came days after Justice Minister Alan Shatter called for mandatory reporting of all forms of abuse.

Speaking at the Mayo Children’s Initiative MsLogan said despite a wide-ranging public debate on the issue, too much attention was still being paid to the abuser instead of the victim.

As a result, she said, it was “crucial” that children facing disturbing domestic situations were given the attention and support they needed.

“It is crucial that this public debate reflects the reality of children’s lives, and that includes the sad reality that 20% of children are subjected to abuse in the context of their home environment,” she said.

The 20% figure relates to the 2002 Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (SAVI) report which, while a decade old, is still considered to be the gold standard for examining abuse trends.

The figure is also based on reported domestic abuse of children, a rate which is widely believed to be far lower than the actual rate.

The comments came just a day after a joint Department of Social Protection and ESRI study said one in four Irish children were experiencing the “gut-wrenching reality” of child poverty. According to the report, based on the experiences of 1,800 households, the rate outstrips that of the adult population.

The Understanding Childhood Deprivation in Ireland report said one in four of these families with children aged 2-15 had “experienced deprivation”.

Between 2004 and 2010, it said the number of children at risk of poverty fell from 23% to 20%.

However, those living in these conditions rather than at risk of them — a category defined as children who lacked two or more of 11 basic items such as food and clothing — rose from 18% to 30% in the same period.

When the comparative adult figures were checked, the rates stood at 19%, down to 16%, and from 14% up to 23%.

* Mayo Children’s Initiative, 20 Sean Bhaile, Castle Street, Castlebar, Co Mayo, tel: [phone].

* See the full Understanding Childhood Deprivation report at www.esri.ie.