Latest news with #SarahBenson
Extra.ie
26-06-2025
- General
- Extra.ie
Domestic abuse at its highest in 50 years, but figures only show 'tip of the Iceberg'
New figures show domestic abuse is at an 'all-time high' in Ireland, with over 40 thousand cries for help to 'Women's Aid' in the past year alone. This marks an 18% increase on the previous year's figures and the highest in Women's Aid's 50-year history. The 'Women's Aid Annual Impact Report 2023′, outlines 40,048 calls for advice and help on its National Freephone Helpline and 28,638 Face to Face contacts – an 18% increase on the year before and the highest ever recorded by the charity. Pic: Shutterstock Reports of physical violence are up by a massive 74%, and economic abuse by 87%. According to this latest report, the abuse women are being subjected to by their partners, or ex-partners, is broad ranging, from coercive control, to physical assaults and death threats. Women have reported being attacked with weapons, having their every move watched, relentless put downs and humiliations, the taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children's lives. Pic: Shutterstock Women's Aid says, 'The impacts on these women were chilling and ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness to serious injury, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity and suicide ideation, hypervigilance, and homelessness'. Womens Aid went on to say, 'It is shocking that in our 50th year of service to women, we are still receiving record disclosures of domestic abuse. Especially as we noticed the rise in physical and economic abuse over the past year. 'Behind our harrowing statistics there are strong, resilient women who have taken a courageous step to share their story to our frontline services. We know that so many more women suffer alone, in silence and without specialist support.' Sarah Benson, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Women's Aid says 'The number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to our frontline services is utterly appalling. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg'. Sarah Benson, CEO of Women's Aid. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Sarah Benson added, 'One in four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and there are also so many children, families and whole communities also impacted. Fear, stigma, and self-blame due to the impact of the abuse – but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence prevent victims from coming forward. 'Irish society has changed for the better in so many ways over the last five decades. Yet, it is an undeniable fact that Women's Aid is busier than ever because we still live in an unequal society. At this very moment, there are many thousands of women and children living in fear of the person who should love, respect and care for them.'
BreakingNews.ie
25-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Women's Aid received record 32,144 contacts in 2024
Women's Aid national and frontline services were contacted over 32,000 times last year, recording an increase of 12 per cent on 2023. The figure of 32,144 is the highest contact rate in the organisation's 50-year history. Advertisement The national freephone helpline recording over 23,000, an increase of 17 per cent. The escalation in all forms of abuse against women has been revealed with sexual abuse figures coming in at the highest up 30 per cent, physical abuse increased by 22 per cent with increased figures being recorded in both emotional and economic abuse. Women reported assaults with weapons, constant surveillance and monitoring, relentless put downs and humiliations, the taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children's lives. The impacts on these women were "chilling" and ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness to serious injury, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity and suicide ideation, hypervigilance, and homelessness. Advertisement Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women's Aid, said: "The number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to our frontline services is utterly appalling. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Thirty five percent of women in Ireland (one in three) suffer physical, psychological or sexual abuse from an intimate partner. Additionally, there are so many children, families and whole communities also impacted. Fear, stigma, and the debilitating impact of the abuse itself – but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence - prevent victims from coming forward." Ms Benson added: " So many victim-survivors lack the information or confidence to contact specialist services, and about one third will suffer in total isolation, telling nobody what is happening to them. We still have so much work to do to break this silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve. What we hear in our national and regional services is replicated across Ireland in local domestic abuse refuges and organisations.' As it launches its Annual Impact Report for 2024 today, Women's Aid noted that the operating environment remains challenging with specialist services still overstretched and underfunded, challenging capacity to meet an increasing demand for help. This is "especially true for more marginalised and minoritised women". Advertisement "The housing crisis, the lack of visibility of domestic abuse in national Housing Strategy and plans, and dearth of appropriate specialist accommodation provision for survivors of abuse limits options for a safe home in the medium and long term. The Family Law and Criminal law systems do not work efficiently for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. creating lengthy, protracted, and traumatising delays for women and unsafe outcomes," the report stated. In addition, young women report very high levels of intimate partner and other forms of gender-based violence, which "sadly does not seem to be decreasing". Women's Aid also criticised the "inconsistent response" of An Garda Síochána. Ms Benson said: "'An Garda Síochána is also seeing record domestic violence and abuse contacts including over 65,000 contacts last year. There is excellent progress in some areas such as the National Protective Services Bureau, who partner with Women's Aid in delivery of a lifesaving High-Risk Support project. Advertisement "However, we are also seeing the results of a knowledge gap increasing among new recruits, and members in local stations where members of the public most connect with police for assistance. Forty-four per cent of women told us that they found the gardaí response unhelpful when they sought support. It is imperative that specialist training on the dynamics of domestic abuse and awareness of new legislation such as stalking, is re-established as a core part of training for all members, not just those in specialist units." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Women's Aid ( 24-hour freephone helpline at 1800 - 341 900, email helpline@
Irish Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Shocking domestic violence data adds further urgency to new strategy
'Zero tolerance' for domestic and gender-based violence was something of a mantra of the last Government. It has carried over to the current Coalition as well, with Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan on Tuesday launching the final implementation plan for its 'Zero Tolerance' strategy aimed at tackling such violence. But while tolerance levels among the politicians may have been at zero for years, Women's Aid has revealed that it received the highest number of disclosures of domestic violence and abuse in its 50-year history last year. As Mary Carolan outlines in our front page story , more than 41,000 women reported abuse by their partner or ex-partner, and more than 5,000 reported abuse of children. READ MORE The 2024 figure for disclosures, up 17 per cent on 2023, included reports of assaults with weapons, constant surveillance, relentless put downs and humiliations, sharing intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children's lives. Five women, the Women's Aid report notes, died in violent circumstances in 2024. The number and nature of the abuse disclosures is 'utterly appalling' but is 'just the tip of the iceberg', said Women's Aid chief executive Sarah Benson. Specialist services are 'overstretched and underfunded' and resourcing by Government and implementation of the Third National Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Strategy remains 'crucial' to effectively reduce the scale and impacts of violence against women and children in Ireland, the organisation said. The final implementation plan for that strategy published yesterday sets out 95 actions, including expansion of refuge accommodation. Mr O'Callaghan said the plan 'provides a focused roadmap to deliver on the whole-of-government commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to DSGBV (domestic, sexual and gender-based violence)'. He added: 'I am committed to building on what has already been achieved, and to strengthening implementation and identifying the actions we need to take now and where we need to go next to prepare a clear pathway toward the fourth national strategy.' A test of whether the Government's efforts to tackle the scourge of domestic violence are having an impact will be the kind of data published by Women's Aid, and whether the shocking level of abuse the most recent data details falls instead of rises to new record levels. Tentative ceasefire between Iran and Israel appears to hold International events and the tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran are the topic of today's lead story by Jack Power. There were accusations from both sides of violations in the hours after the ceasefire came into force. United States president Donald Trump 's frustration at the situation boiled over as he spoke to reporters in advance of travelling to a Nato summit. Mr Trump described Israel and Iran as two countries 'that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing'. In a later online post, the US president said 'both Israel and Iran wanted to stop the War equally! It was my great honour to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capabilities, and then, STOP THE WAR'. It was reported on Tuesday night that an initial classified US assessment of the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities says they did not destroy two of the sites and were likely to only set back the Iranian nuclear programme by a few months, according to two people familiar with the assessment. The report produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) – the intelligence arm of the Pentagon – concluded key components of the nuclear programme, including centrifuges, were capable of being restarted within months. The White House disputed the intelligence assessment, which was first reported by CNN. 'The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran's nuclear programme,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Best Reads The Government will make a decision on whether to include services in the Occupied Territories Bill based on advice from the Attorney General, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil. The issue was raised in the Dáil after Tánaiste Simon Harris brought the legislation to Cabinet on Tuesday. The Israeli Settlements Prohibition of Importation of Goods Bill will make it an offence under the Customs Act to import goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territories. There is pressure on the Government from the Opposition to include services as well. Marie O'Halloran, Jack Horgan-Jones and Martin Wall report . Amid a debate in the Dáil on the high cost of groceries, Miriam Lord imagines what would happen if Taoiseach Micheál Martin did the weekly shop. 'He'd refuse to look at a biscuit, the house would be awash with broccoli and you'd die for the want of a cheese and onion crisp. The man cannot be allowed near a shopping trolley.' On the Opinion pages, Kathy Sheridan asks: should influencers and politicians share photographs of their children online? Irish farmers have welcomed tentative moves by the European Parliament to restrict 'cynical' vegetarian and vegan food producers from using words such as sausage, burger and schnitzel to sell their products. Conor Pope reports on this issue . 'I sleep easier here': The makeshift homeless community under the M50 – Kitty Holland outlines the plight of people living beneath Dublin's ringroad. Playbook The Dáil kicks off with an opportunity for TDs to raise topical issues at 9am. Independent TDs have a motion on legislative and structural reforms to accelerate housing delivery which is to be debated from 10am. Leaders' Questions is at noon. Government Business in the afternoon includes a motion on the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act, 1998. There will also be a committee stage debate on the Mental Health Bill, 2024, from 5.44pm. Legislation to bring in changes to the Local Property Tax regime is to be debated from 6.44pm. The weekly Dáil votes are due to take place at 10.45pm. In the Seanad there will be a debate on the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill, 2024, from 12.45pm. Various Oireachtas committees , including health and transport, will be considering revised funding estimates for their relevant departments on Wednesday. The committee on social protection will be considering the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill, 2025, from 9.30am. The committee on climate will meet the Climate Change Advisory Council on the topic of the carbon budget at 12.30pm. The committee on arts, media, communications, culture and sport will examine the future of the An Post network, also at 12.30pm. The committee on education will be considering education for children with special needs from 6.30pm. The full Dáil, Seanad and committee schedules can be found here
RTÉ News
25-06-2025
- RTÉ News
33% of Women's Aid contacts were abused by ex-partner
Women's Aid has said that 33% of women who contacted the domestic violence service last year, were subjected to abuse from their ex-partner. According to the charity's latest annual impact report, some of the abuse resulted in serious injury, miscarriages, poverty, suicidal ideation, hypervigilance and homelessness. Women's Aid has described the "broad and brutal pattern of abuse" by partners or ex-partners as "chilling". Overall, 32,144 contacted the service in 2024, which was a rise of 12% compared to the previous year and the highest in the organisation's 50-year history. The number of contacts through the National Freephone Helpline also increased by 17%. Reports of all forms of abuse against women rose, including physical abuse (+22%), sexual abuse (+30%), emotional abuse (+15%) and economic abuse (+5%). Women reported assaults with weapons, constant surveillance, monitoring, relentless put downs and humiliations, the taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with their or their children's lives. In total, there were 41,432 disclosures of abuse against women and 5,333 disclosures of emotional, sexual and physical abuse of children. The domestic violence charity has expressed concern about what it has described as "the inconsistent response" from members of An Garda Síochána. A total of 2,722 women disclosed that they had contacted gardaí because of domestic abuse and while 56% found gardaí helpful, 44% found them unhelpful. Women's Aid CEO Sarah Benson has noted "a knowledge gap" increasing among new recruits, and members in local stations where members of the public seek assistance. "It is imperative that specialist training on the dynamics of domestic abuse and awareness of new legislation such as stalking, is re-established as a core part of training for all members, not just those in specialist units," she said. The story of victim-survivor 'Laura' is contained in the report, in which she has outlined how frightened she was of her husband when she discovered she was pregnant. "I knew he would blame me for the pregnancy. We had three other kids, and he didn't want me to work. This meant that even though he had a good job, I had no access to my own money, except what he gave me, when he felt like it," she said. Laura's partner was "always angry" with her and the children and she feared he would either hit her as he had done so in the past, or that he could do "something worse". "I felt so ashamed and just completely trapped. He blamed me for everything. I had never spoken to anyone about what was going on, but I knew it wasn't right." Laura was referred to Women's Aid by a Medical Social Worker who she met at a hospital appointment. She was supported by Women's Aid in receiving a domestic violence order and was accompanied by an outreach worker to court. However, she was encouraged to go to gardaí when there were breaches of the order by her husband. "Despite everything, I had a healthy baby boy. My outreach worker continued to support me in the months after until they could link me in with a local counsellor. They even helped me pay towards the counselling costs. Although, I am still dealing with the ongoing abuse from my husband, I feel stronger, and I know the shame is not mine." The report has outlined challenges that continue to exist in relation to domestic violence and abuse in Ireland. Specialist services remain "overstretched and underfunded", which has created challenges in meeting demand, especially for more marginalised and minoritised women. The housing crisis and lack of appropriate specialist accommodation provision for survivors of abuse have also been highlighted as "limiting options" for a safe home in the medium and long term. The charity has reiterated lack of efficiencies in the Family Law and Criminal law systems, resulting in delays for women and unsafe outcomes. It has also pointed to the high level of intimate partner and other forms of gender-based violence that young women face and a continuing increase in online/technology facilitated gender-based violence.
Irish Times
24-06-2025
- Irish Times
Highest number of domestic violence disclosures in 50 years is ‘just tip of iceberg' says Women's Aid
Women's Aid received the highest number of disclosures of domestic violence and abuse in its 50-year history last year, with more than 41,000 women reporting abuse by their partner or ex-partner, and more than 5,000 reporting abuse of children. The 2024 figure for disclosures, up 17 per cent on 2023, included reports of assaults with weapons, constant surveillance, relentless put downs and humiliations, taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children's lives. Five women, the report notes, died in violent circumstances in 2024. The number and nature of the abuse disclosures is 'utterly appalling' but is 'just the tip of the iceberg', said Women's Aid chief executive Sarah Benson. 'Fear, stigma and the debilitating impact of the abuse itself, but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence, prevent victims from coming forward.' READ MORE Much work needs to be done to break the silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve, she said. Domestic violence must be tackled by champions across society and men are needed 'to lead as allies in prevention of male violence'. Women's Aid, she said, is concerned about the 'inconsistent' response from members of An Garda Síochána to record numbers of domestic violence and abuse contacts, including more than 65,000 contacts to the force last year. While there was 'excellent progress' in areas such as the National Protective Services Bureau, 44 per cent of women said they found the gardaí response unhelpful when they sought support. Specialist training regarding domestic abuse and stalking must be a 'core part' of training for all members, not just those in specialist units. Young women, Ms Benson noted, are reporting very high levels of intimate partner and other forms of gender-based violence. A continuing increase in online or technology-facilitated gender-based violence showed the harm of online pornography but there is 'little meaningful accountability' for online platforms and perpetrators. The report said the housing crisis and issues with the family and criminal law processes adversely impact on the ability of victim-survivors to access justice and safety, with greater challenges for those with disabilities and migrant backgrounds. One in three women in contact with Women's Aid services were being subjected to domestic abuse from their ex-partner, said Eavan Ward, the organisation's head of regional services. Separating from a controlling and abusive partner is difficult and a time of heightened risk, she said. Many women needed to access the courts about children's matters but the 'prolonged, costly and disempowering' family law system 'is failing many women and children'. The process often results in unsafe custody and access arrangements which disregard the impact of domestic abuse, including coercive control on children, she said. The annual impact report for 2024, published on Wednesday, discloses that Women's Aid national and regional frontline services were contacted 32,144 times in 2024, up 12 per cent on 2023. There were 46,765 disclosures of incidents of domestic violence and abuse – 41,432 against women and 5,333 against children – up 17 per cent on 2023. Allegation of sexual abuse rose by 30 per cent, physical abuse by 22 per cent, emotional abuse by 15 per cent and economic abuse by 5 per cent. Specialist services are 'overstretched and underfunded' and resourcing by Government and implementation of the Third National Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Strategy remains 'crucial' to effectively reduce the scale and impacts of violence against women and children in Ireland, the organisation said. The final implementation plan for that strategy, published on Tuesday by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan , sets out 95 actions, including expansion of refuge accommodation.
