‘Horrible experience’ for family fleeing domestic abuse

A woman and her children forced to sleep on blood-stained mattresses in cramped rooms after leaving an abusive partner had a “horrible” experience, said Women’s Aid.

Commenting on a report by the Ombudsman for Children, the domestic abuse charity said women and children should not have to leave home to be safe.

It has called for the Domestic Violence Bill — currently before the Dáil — to be strengthened and for an ‘out of hours’ system to give women access to barring orders.