Finances fuelling a rise in domestic violence

THE recession is fuelling a huge rise in domestic violence against women.

Shocking figures show that over the course of just one day, 263 women and 216 children sought help from domestic violence support groups around the country.

A total of 17 women and 15 children were admitted to a refuge during that 24-hour period.

And worryingly, six women had to be turned away from refuges because there wasn’t enough space.

Safe Ireland, the national network for women’s domestic violence support services, conducted the survey on November 4, 2008.

It was the first time that a “national census” style method used in the United States and Britain to gauge demand on domestic violence support groups was used in Ireland.

The results will be compared with another national census on the same date, next month.

“The figures in this first national one-day count give a stark indication of the reality of what we are working with every day,” said Pat Moynihan, the co-ordinator of the West Cork Women against Violence support group – one of 40 groups in the Safe Ireland network.

“We alone had 601 contacts with women experiencing domestic violence in West Cork in 2008.

“This is an increase of 36% on the previous year. There is a further increase this year.

“This means that domestic violence services across Ireland are under more pressure to ensure that women and children are safe and can make vital changes to their lives.”

Ms Moynihan said the recession has contributed to the rise in demand for help from support groups.

“We are seeing an increase in financial abuse since the recession with increasing unemployment, mortgage problems or delays with social welfare payments, for example,” she said.

“Women are trapped in relationships because they can’t find a job, cannot find affordable housing or because they can’t sell their homes.”

Safe Ireland’s service development manager, Dr Sarah Morton, said the survey had unearthed several key areas of concern which have been amplified by the recession.

International research shows that women need to be assured of economic independence before they will leave an abusive relationship, she said.

But rising unemployment and increased financial pressures are affecting women’s ability to secure economic independence, she said.

“The feedback we are getting from our members is that services are stretched to their limits. Our members are at capacity,” she said.

Safe Ireland will launch the detailed results of its one-day survey in Dublin tomorrow.

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