Report said 1 in 4 Irish women experience domestic violence

The contested Tusla report on domestic and sexual violence highlighted how one in four Irish women experience physical violence in their life and one in two have been sexually harassed.

It also showed that even though domestic violence services helped 24,934 victims last year, Irish women are amongst the least likely in Europe to seek support when suffering domestic abuse.

According to the report by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, women who do not seek expert help are missing out on “practical, financial medical and moral support; information from and help reporting to police and protection from re-victimisation”.

While one in five domestic abuse victims report incidences to the gardaí or to legal or medical services, the numbers who seek counselling or refuge support is “substantially” less than elsewhere in Europe.

According to its research, these women are not seeking support as they feel “they can deal with the situation themselves or with the help of friends or family”.

The Rape Crisis Network supplied some of this information. However it has sent a legal letter to Tusla querying if under data protection legislation, it was entitled to use the RCNI data for analysis as it did not “collect” the data.

According to the report, last year, face-to-face, helpline, outreach and accommodation services offered help to 25,000 adults who experienced domestic violence and gave advice to 6,405 family, friends and supporters of victims.

Up to 58 Tusla-funded domestic, sexual, gender-based violence services answered 88,754 helpline calls in 2015.

The annual rate of violence against women suggests that 8%, or one in 12 Irish women aged 18-74 experience physical and/or sexual violence each year.

In March this year, 23% of families made homeless cited domestic violence as a cause of homelessness.

One in four Irish adults have experienced sexual or physical violence.

Last year, more than 2,000 women and families, including 2,600 children were supported in Tusla-funded refuges. A total of 23,562 first-time referrals were made last year.

In total, 5,459 children affected by domestic violence received direct or indirect assistance from services.

More than 3,000 adults and nearly 200 children who experienced sexual violence were given assistance in 16 sexual violence/ rape crisis centres last year.

The study also highlights how one in three Irish women experience psychological violence during a relationship and one in four experience controlling behaviour during a relationship.

Tusla’s national manager for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services, Joan Mullen, said: “The numbers in the report are not just data, they are the summary of the real-life stories of the adults, children and families that frontline services work with. The work these Tusla-funded organisations do is invaluable to victims of violence.”

Contact Garda Síochána (24 hours) 999/112 or your local garda station; Rape Crisis Centre national helpline (24 hours) 1800 778888; Women’s Aid helpline (10am-10pm); 1800 341 900; AMEN helpline for men who experience abuse 046 9023718