Safe Ireland and Airbnb launch 'survivor fund’ for women fleeing domestic violence

The cost of domestic violence to a woman is estimated at €113,500 over 20 years from abuse to safety.

A new fund is being launched today to financially support women and children who are fleeing domestic violence situations.

Safe Ireland and Airbnb have announced the 'Safe Ireland Survivor Fund' which will help those escaping abuse with basic needs such as groceries, utility bills, securing a deposit for safe accommodation and phone credit.

Services can also apply for funding for equipment or training, including play pods for children, or innovative and specialist support for high-risk and vulnerable women.

The fund, led by Safe Ireland in partnership with Airbnb who have donated €350,000, will be distributed through Safe Ireland's 39 affiliated services across the country.

Mary McDermott, CEO of Safe Ireland says the fund will help women to escape situations where financial barriers such as access to phone credit, transport or inability to pay bills "can and do keep women trapped".

"Financial control is a core mechanism of coercive control in an abusive relationship," Ms McDermott says.

"The Safe Ireland Survivor Fund directly addresses these micro-controls, builds hope and the capacity to act."

The cost of domestic violence to a woman is estimated at €113,500 over 20 years from abuse to safety, including loss of income, unemployment, health and legal costs and the cost of relocation.

Ms McDermott added that this fund "cannot address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence as a large-scale social problem".

"Nor can it replace systematic and thorough-going state response to the abuse of women and children.

"We thank Airbnb for their frontline response, while Safe Ireland continues to work for the eradication of domestic violence in society as a whole.” 

In June of 2020, Airbnb partnered with Safe Ireland and Women's Aid to provide more than 3,000 free hotel beds to domestic violence survivors, a support which was extended in June 2021.

"For women leaving an abusive home situation, bills and costs can cause a great deal of worry," Jean Hoey, co-site lead for Airbnb in Ireland says.

"Through the Survivor Fund, we want to help relieve that pressure and provide financial peace of mind."

Donations to the work of Safe Ireland can be made at www.safeireland.ie