Domestic violence victims 'shouldn't have to use sick leave' when fleeing abuse  

Special needs assistants Christine Scott and Linda O'Sullivan at the Fórsa conference in Killarney on Friday. Picture: Domnick Walsh

A domestic violence survivor has spoken of the “shadow pandemic” of such abuse, and of the financial burden inflicted on victims seeking to escape their situation.

Linda O’Sullivan, a special needs assistant from Dublin, said both as a survivor of abuse and a union representative she has repeatedly seen people “having to resort to using sick leave” when experiencing or fleeing domestic violence.