Refuge: Agencies' co-operation can stop domestic murders

Murders in the home could be avoided if there was better co-operation between State agencies in dealing with domestic violence, it was claimed today.

A Dublin woman’s refuge is calling on the Government to introduce an early warning system to be used by gardaí and the health services to help those at risk from spousal abuse.

Since 1995, 140 women have been killed in the Republic of Ireland and 88 of those have died in their own homes, according to Coolock’s Aoibhneas Women and Children’s refuge.

“If we had these systems in place we would be able to identify women at high risk and the likelihood is that some of them [deaths] could have been prevented,” refuge chairperson Terri Morrissey said.

“Although we recognise the value of risk assessment models in other countries across the world, there is a need to develop these in an Irish context so that those working within front-line services can be trained in the use of such risk assessment models and tools.”

Researchers commissioned by the refuge studied systems operating in other countries, such as the US and UK, where police and care services use a co-ordinated approach to help women at risk from spousal abuse.

More than 850 women and children attended the Coolock refuge last year from throughout Dublin and surrounding counties.

Organisers said many incidents of abuse are not reported to gardaí for fear of escalating the violence.

“I think they come into the refuge as a safe haven,” Ms Morrissey said.

“They don’t want the attention. They just want to come in and they’re very reluctant to talk about their experiences publicly. They come and can get some attention there.

“A lot of them don’t go for barring orders. I think it’s a double-edged sword. It’s supposed to be protecting but it can in fact escalate violence,” she said.