Detective units hope to tackle domestic violence

Gardaí are hoping to reduce deaths and serious injury from domestic and sexual violence with the introduction of specialised units manned by highly trained detectives, in Cork, Louth, and Dublin.

In the past 20 years, 209 women have died violently in this country — 131 of these women were killed in their own homes.

Under the new approach, regular gardaí will still respond immediately to incidents and carry out a general risk assessment around the house call. The following day, the cases will be taken over by the new units, with victims given a key Garda contact who will conduct more extensive risk assessments around these women and children so the likelihood of violence escalating can be better predicted.