Fears of domestic violence increase as country returns to lockdown

As Ireland enters Level 5 restrictions, concerns were raised again about the risk of domestic violence posed to vulnerable people. File picture.

A domestic violence charity says it saw a 43% increase in the number of calls from women in abusive relationships during the last lockdown.

Women's Aid is preparing for a further surge in contacts during Level 5.

It is currently receiving an extra 1,000 calls a month on top of normal demand.

Chief Executive, Sarah Benson, is worried about the impact of added restrictions on victims of abusive relationships. 

She said: "You have abusive partners working from home and so, therefore, present all the time. 

Now we are going to have even more of that scenario again. 

"And we also now have the situation where, with restricted movements, people may feel that they can't travel to access support. 

"And one of the things that we want to really emphasise is that if somebody is fleeing for their safety, that is a reason for essential travel."  

The charity fears further increases as the country returns to lockdown.

Many women had to come up with ingenious ways to get in touch with Women’s Aid.

Benson has said women trapped with their abusers during lockdown made calls for help from their garden shed, their car or from the bathroom while the shower was running.

“We're very concerned, we didn't see a drop off in recent months even as we went back to Level 2 and Level 3, we’re very worried that we’re going to see a further surge,” Ms Benson told RTÉ radio’s News at One.

“In his address to the nation on Monday night, Taoiseach Michéal Martin acknowledged increased levels of domestic violence as a real impact of the new restrictions. We echo that concern," said Ms Benson. 

"At the moment, the 24hr National Freephone Helpline has been receiving to roughly 1,000 more calls a month than normal. 

"We expect that number to increase even further now that Level 5 restrictions come into force. Callers are reporting increased anxiety about abusive partners continuing to work from home and having more opportunity to abuse and control."

During lockdown abusers were back in the home 24/7, some had lost their jobs, all of which conspired to create a very aggravating situation, she said.

“It really can create an enormous pressure cooker situation.” 

We are getting more calls from women with suicidal ideation than we normally would and there more calls at night, when the abusive partner is asleep.

"We are also seeing lots of messages to the online chat service which some women find easier to access as it can be done in silence from laptops and mobile phones,” she said. 

The increased restrictions not only prevent victims of abuse from accessing services or leave them more exposed to risk said Ms Benson. 

Abusers also use restrictions as an excuse to abuse their partners. 

"Many women and children will spend the next few weeks in suffocating circumstances with their abusers because of the renewed measures to combat Covid-19. 

"Over the last eight months, women told us that their partners were using the lockdown restrictions as an excuse not to leave after they had been violent. When abusers couldn’t get access to their current or former partners, their abuse persisted through text messages, phone calls and video calls and also through online means. 

"For women who had previously experienced abuse, the restrictions that the Government placed on movement brought a resurgence of traumatic memories of being abused and controlled. 

"Women with underlying health issues reported that their partners were not adhering to Covid-19 restrictions deliberately, and some were effectively weaponising the virus by coughing or spitting on women,” she said. 

More than ever it was important that the whole community be vigilant if anyone knew of someone in a dangerous situation that they should proactively maintain contact with them.

Ms Benson said support is available at Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 or else at womensaid.ie.

Support for male victims can be accessed at the National Male Adviceline 1800 816 588. 

Details of all services available across the country can be accessed by stillhere.ie.