8,000 calls to Women’s Aid go unanswered

ALMOST 8,000 calls made to the Women’s Aid helpline went unanswered in 2004 due to a lack of staff, it was revealed yesterday.

The organisation said an additional €70,000 annually from Government was needed to address the problem, as the number of calls made to the helpline, primarily by women who had been assaulted in the home, had increased.

Women’s Aid expressed alarm at helpline figures which showed some 1,800 calls related to abuse of children, while 40% of those calls specified abuse of children during access visits.