Extent of violence against women revealed

One in five Irish women will fall victim to a sexual assault during their lifetime, it was revealed today.

Shocking new figures also showed a fifth of women suffer physical abuse at the hands of their husband or partner.

Over 80 women have been murdered in Ireland since 1996, a major new exhibition was also told.

Colm Dempsey, Exhibition Coordinator, said campaigns from across the world were gathered together in the ‘Violence against Women 365 International Poster Exhibition’.

“This is a very important exhibition because it embraces individuals, agencies and organisations from 53 countries around the world in each continent,” he said.

“These countries have a combined population total of approximately 5.3 billion people.”

Mr Dempsey said he hoped the exhibition would help raise awareness of the issue of violence against women.

“I sincerely hope that as it travels around Ireland and further afield that people will be moved by it to do something to support victims of abuse,” he said.

“No-one deserves to be abused and that is regardless of gender.

“Over 80 Irish women have been murdered since 1996 and just as significantly, many other women and children are still living within abusive situations.

“I hope that through this exhibition and this website, I have given a voice to those women and children who continue to suffer in silence.”

Mr Dempsey said the poster exhibition, which is being hosted by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre at the Axis Arts Centre, Main Street, Ballymun, aims to get one simple message across.

In South Africa – A woman is raped every 28 seconds,

In the USA - A woman is physically abused every nine seconds,

In the UK – Every 20 seconds a woman is the victim of domestic violence, with 2 women killed per week,

In Sweden – 52 women are killed each year as a result of domestic violence,

In Egypt – 35% of women report being beaten by their husband during marriage,

In Chile – 26% women report at least one episode of violence by their partner,

In Russia – 13,000 women are killed each year as a result of domestic violence.

Dublin Rape Crisis CEO Rosemary Daly welcomed the launch of the exhibition.

“The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is honoured to be hosting the Exhibition and fully endorses the necessity for creating greater awareness about violence against women,” she added.