Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank both sides of the House for what seems to be great co-operation, which I have not seen much of in my nine months here.

All Deputies can recognise how difficult it is for victims of domestic abuse to deal with and escape from their abusers. Not only must they deal with the abuse as it is occurring, which must be a devastating experience, but they must also get the help they require, which is far easier said than done. While doing some research on the topic, I was alarmed by the prevalence of domestic abuse and violence that was reported in 2019. I was even more alarmed to learn that the figures were much higher in 2020. In fact, the recently published Safe Ireland report shows that calls to its helpline increased steadily and daily over the course of the Covid-19 restrictions. According to the Women's Aid 2019 annual report, there were 19,258 disclosures of domestic violence against women and 20,763 contacts with Women's Aid's direct services. There were 12,742 incidents of emotional abuse, 3,873 incidents of physical abuse and 2,034 incidents of financial abuse disclosed. In the same year, 609 incidents of sexual abuse were disclosed, including 288 rapes.

Domestic abuse can take many different forms. My mind is immediately drawn to the physical violence, but domestic abuse can also include threats, intimidation, manipulation, neglect, financial control, domineering behaviour and other threatening and controlling behaviours.

The National Crime Council found that one in seven women had experienced severe abusive behaviour of a physical, sexual or emotional nature from a partner at some point in her life. Its survey estimated that 213,000 women had been severely abused by a partner. These figures display the extent of the problem. Unfortunately, studies show that domestic violence is usually not a one-off event. It often involves a sustained pattern of abuse and manipulative behaviour that many victims can find difficult to escape. While the evidence shows that women are more likely to be the victims of domestic abuse, we must not forget that there are men who find themselves victims of domestic abuse. Almost 6% of men experience domestic abuse while the figure for women is 15%. These are worrying numbers. It is clear that this issue affects men and women. Therefore, we need to ensure that the support systems are for both.

We must remember the significant impact of domestic violence on children. Unfortunately, they can also be the victims of such abuse. Even in cases where they are not the direct targets of the abuse, they experience the consequences, which can affect them for the rest of their lives.

The Wexford Women's Refuge provides 24-hour crisis accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic abuse in their homes. On admission, many families present with little or no personal belongings. The recommended period for a woman and her family to stay in the refuge is eight to ten weeks. However, the refuge only has two rooms available currently. During the Covid pandemic, the demand for beds has risen, but the number of bed spaces has reduced. Any reduction in the supply of beds for victims of domestic violence is disastrous.

According to a report in The Wexford People in June, the Wexford Women's Refuge had to reduce its accommodation capacity from five families to one family due to the communal toilets and bathrooms. I understand its capacity is now for two families.

We need more services for people in these situations. Those involved in providing the service and working in the women's refuge in County Wexford do Trojan work but they need to be supported and they need the resources to meet the demand. The Garda Síochána has reported a 36% increase in the number of domestic abuse cases in County Wexford over the past year. I have often mentioned in speeches and interviews the second-line effects of Covid-19 restrictions. Domestic abuse and domestic violence are areas where the consequences of restrictions are worrying. The Safe Ireland report finds that Covid-19 restrictions led to a number of barriers to victims trying to escape abusive situations. Problems were reported, particularly with regard to travel restrictions, accommodation issues and social isolation.

I would, therefore, like to see increased supports for the sector and see victims being able to avail of supports as soon as they need them. More important, however, we need to ensure that this sector is safeguarded from the negative effects of any further Covid-19 restrictions. I will discuss this in greater detail tomorrow along with the mental health aspects but this is a good opportunity to remind the Government that we need to take a holistic approach to dealing with many of these problems because, in most cases, they are linked. We do not want this problem to get worse as it can often lead to a cycle of other issues for the victims, including substance misuse, psychological damage and trust issues for both the victims and any children involved.

We must also remember the abusers need support and rehabilitation. They may have an underlying issue, for example, a substance misuse issue. They may need medical intervention, psychological intervention, behavioural therapy and education with a view to trying to prevent them from reoffending. I am, therefore, calling on this problem to be looked at from all angles.

Finally, a message to those who may be currently experiencing domestic abuse is seek help in any way they can from the gardaí, local support services, a trusted friend or family member. Do not suffer in silence.

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