Mary White (Fianna Fail)

When I met Mr. John Connolly just over a month ago, at the request of Women's Aid, he sought my support as a politician in highlighting the issue of domestic violence. I said I would do my utmost to raise the matter in the Seanad and at meetings of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party. Last week, the Leader of the House, Senator O'Rourke, and I attended the launch by the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, of the 2004 statistics relating to the national Women's Aid helpline. I was impressed not only by the Minister of State's speech, but also by the empathy he showed with those who have been victims of domestic violence, a diabolical crime against women that is being suppressed within our society. As Senator Kett said, the Members of this House will continue to raise the profile of the campaign against domestic violence. It is about time that attempts were made to tackle such violence, which is a secret, dark and murky crime that takes place in the shadows and about which people find it embarrassing to speak. The Leader of the House swiftly arranged these statements on foot of the launch by the Minister of State last week. I have invited eight representatives of Women's Aid to attend this debate as part of my response to Mr. Connolly, who asked me to help in any way I can.

The National Crime Council and the Economic and Social Research Institute have published an interesting study of the domestic abuse of women and men in Irish society. Dr. Dorothy Watson of the ESRI and Ms Sarah Parsons of the NCC did some superb work as part of that process. The reality is that an estimated 80% of women and men who suffer domestic abuse do not tell gardaí of this because they do not believe the issue is serious enough or because of shame and embarrassment.

The ESRI report to which I referred stated that 15% of women and 6% of men in Ireland have experienced severe abuse. It is worth spelling out what constitutes severe abuse. The report notes that domestic abuse is a pattern of physical, emotional or sexual behaviour between partners in an intimate relationship that causes or risks significant negative consequences for the person affected. It involves physical abuse and threats, including slapping, shoving, pushing, punching, kicking, threatening to hurt and choking. The report states that sexual abuse involves attempted, actual or forced sexual relationship or intercourse, forced viewing of pornography or other forced behaviour. Emotional abuse involves deliberately embarrassing someone, name-calling, preventing contact with family, threatening to take children and preventing the partner from having money.

The impact of severe abuse often involves injury to the severely abused. Half of those who have been severely abused have been physically injured. Women who are abused are more likely than men to have injuries needing medical treatment. The impact of emotional abuse, which affects more women than men, involves fear, distress and loss of confidence. Members will understand how they would have difficulty standing up in the House to give an opinion if they had to suffer such emotional abuse. I was asked last week to give some advice to a young girl. She told me that her partner calls her stupid when they have a row. I asked why she could not get out of that relationship and move on. How could any of us fully participate in society if we had to suffer the brutality of being told we are stupid?

The ESRI report suggests that 59% of those abused are under 25 years of age. An interesting point is that in two thirds of cases the abuse happens early in the relationship, in the first two years. The abuse is triggered by various factors. In 38% of cases, the report suggests it was triggered by nothing in particular or minor incidents, while alcohol was a factor in 34% of cases. Those most at risk are women, young people, single people and those with weak ties to extended family or community.

It is irrelevant what region victims live in, what level of education they have, or their income or social class — abuse takes place across every strata of society. It is a deep, dark secret that is not getting exposure. However, I am confident my parliamentary colleagues and I will support the Minister of State when he makes his case in this regard at our parliamentary party meeting in November.

At present, family cases only come up in the middle of all other court cases. I call for the establishment of regional family courts which would hear cases in private. More people will come forward if cases are held in private and if family courts are established throughout the country. We need to give more support to organisations like Women's Aid, which last year could not respond to two out of five of the telephone calls it received. The organisation received 20,000 calls last year from people who need immediate help.