'Women are absolutely terrified': Homelessness group highlights violence against women

The injured homeless woman, who does not wish to be named, regularly visits A Lending Hand's support cafe on Friday nights. Picture: Keira Gill

Shocking images of extensive bruising and multiple marks across a woman’s face highlight the violence being perpetrated against vulnerable women sleeping rough in Dublin.

A leading homeless support group has warned that assaults and intimidation within the homeless community are often going unreported, with victims too frightened to speak out.

Keira Gill, who runs A Lending Hand, said one of her clients was badly beaten last week. The photographs show dark bruising across the woman’s cheek, extending towards her eye and along the side of her face.

The woman, who does not wish to be named, regularly visits the group’s support cafe on Friday nights. She approached Ms Gill following the assault, but the incident was not reported to gardaí.

The photographs show dark bruising across the woman’s cheek, extending towards her eye and along the side of her face. Picture: Keira Gill/A Lending Hand

“This is a growing issue, and we have been hearing from clients for the last three years about violence against women in the homeless community,” Ms Gill said.

“However, this has been one of the worst cases we have seen in a long time.

“It is a silent issue, hidden among the homeless. They don’t speak up a lot for fear of reprisals, and they don’t feel anyone will believe them. They have been beaten down so much in life.” 

Ms Gill said women in homelessness are particularly vulnerable to violence and intimidation, with a lack of secure accommodation leaving many exposed to dangerous situations.

“Women are absolutely terrified,” she said.

“The scale of the problem is not receiving sufficient attention, with women facing the combined pressures of homelessness, violence, and a lack of safe places to go.” 

She said there is also increasing animosity between people sleeping rough.

“There are growing tensions among people struggling to survive on the streets. It is becoming a common thing as people compete for the limited resources that are out there,” she said.

Women’s Aid: Violence against women rising  

The concerns come against a backdrop of widespread violence against women in Ireland. 

Women’s Aid recorded 62,275 disclosures of domestic violence and abuse against women and children in 2025, including 57,520 disclosures relating to abuse against women. Ten women have died violently so far this year.

The organisation says 35% of women in Ireland have experienced psychological, physical or sexual abuse from an intimate partner. However, these national figures do not establish the scale of violence specifically experienced by women who are homeless.

The warning comes as frontline charities and support groups report growing desperation among people struggling to access basic necessities.

The Muslim Sisters of Éire recently described one of its worst nights serving food at Dublin’s GPO, when a surge of people waiting for meals caused a rope barrier to collapse as the queue pushed forward.

The charity said everyone ultimately received food and essential supplies, but the incident highlighted the growing pressure on voluntary services as demand continues to rise.

The latest figures from the Department of Housing show that 17,885 people were living in State-funded emergency accommodation in August 2026, including 5,830 children.