Report: 210,000 women experience sexual abuse

In findings released today, it was revealed that one in seven women had experienced severely abusive behaviour from their partners at some point in their lives.

The figures were contained in the country's first large-scale study of the nature, extent and impact of domestic abuse in intimate relationships.

Compiled by the National Crime Council and the ESRI, it said a significant number of men are also affected by domestic abuse.

The report suggests that more that 210,000 women and close to 90,000 men have suffered physical, sexual or emotional trauma.

Although women are more at risk overall the risk is also higher for couples where one partner controls decisions about money and for those whose parents were abusive towards each other.

In almost two out of five cases the abuse was triggered by something minor.

In one third it was associated with alcohol.

About half the victims were physically injured, but many said fear and loss of confidence was the worst effect.

Only one in five reported the abuse to Gardaí, but most of the victims did eventually get out of the relationship.