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Domestic violence: Number of people applying for safety orders has SHOT up

At the same time barring orders have reduced considerably in recent times according to official courts statistics just released regarding domestic violence.

THE NUMBER OF people applying for safety orders from the Irish courts has increased massively in the last eight years according to official courts statistics just released.

Some 5,499  safety orders were applied for in 2014 with 2,029 granted.

That compares to 3,553 applications made in 2007, a massive increase of 55%.

A safety order prohibits a person from engaging in violence or threats of violence. It does not however oblige a respondent to vacate the family home.

It can however apply for up to five years.

Separately however, the number of barring orders made (as opposed to merely applied for) has reduced by 38% in the same time period with a single-year drop in the numbers of such orders made of 25% between 2013 and 2014.

safety orders Safety orders applied for / granted, 2007-2014 Courts Service Courts Service

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Barring orders are a more serious variant on safety orders in that a person served with same for reasons of domestic violence is obliged to leave the family home. They can be made for up to three years.

barring orders Barring orders applied for / granted, 2007-2014 Courts Service Courts Service

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Other forms of relief protection available via application through the courts include protection orders and interim barring orders. Protection orders have risen by 16% over the 8-year time period, with little change seen in applications for interim barring orders.

All told 13,538 applications were made through the courts for relief under domestic violence legislation in 2014, an increase of roughly 19% on the 11,394 such applications made in 2007.

Read: Getting a barring order against a violent partner is about to get easier

Read: Mother who beat her son with a tree branch and poured salt over his wounds given two year suspended sentence

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12 Comments
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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Aug 13th 2015, 5:29 AM

    A safety order prohibits a person from engaging in violence and threatening violence. what is the point of that are we all not prohibited from engaging in violence and threatening violence? Such an order would imply that in its absence it is okay to engage in violence and threatened violence. Or am I missing something here?

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    Mute Alan White
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    Aug 13th 2015, 6:55 AM

    Hi James, I think there’s just a stronger punishment and further ramifications if the order is breached

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    Mute Keith Maguire
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    Aug 13th 2015, 3:34 PM

    It gives the Gardaí power to arrest someone for offences which they otherwise could not and to keep them in custody until court. For example, if someone punches their partner and the Gardaí are called then there is no statutory power to arrest them or make them leave the house. On the other hand, if an order is in force, the Gardaí can arrest the offender, charge them and hold them for the next court. Orders also allow for arrests for behaviour which is not in itself illegal but which is abusive.

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    Mute James Joseph Superior Power
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    Aug 20th 2015, 1:46 AM

    Thanks Alan and Keith for clearing that up. I understand it now.

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    Mute Joe Arthur
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    Aug 13th 2015, 10:05 AM

    Come on – this is a misleading headline

    Until 2011 safety orders weren’t available to couples who didn’t live together.

    Of course a bigger pool of eligible people will increase the final numbers availing of it

    http://www.newstalk.com/Safety-orders-District-Courts-barring-order-Womens-Aid-Margaret-Martin

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    Mute Kathleen Kavanagh
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    Aug 13th 2015, 2:22 AM

    Homelessness up 55% – Domestic abuse up 55% – - runs in 3′s – what’s up next !

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    Mute niall mullins
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    Aug 13th 2015, 1:36 PM

    Suicide.

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    Mute niall mullins
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    Aug 13th 2015, 1:37 PM

    All linked to austerity.

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    Mute Alangb
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    Aug 13th 2015, 6:00 PM

    What would be much more informative and of better use is the gender breakdown of these statistics. For example are there more men applying for these orders? If this were true then that would certainly add to the increase as men traditionally were less likely to apply for these orders.

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    Mute Andrew Halpin
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    Aug 14th 2015, 4:02 AM

    All the info and stats are on the courts.ie website, gives you an idea of how overworked the courts service system is.
    http://www.courts.ie/courts.ie/library3.nsf/pagecurrent/5D12A39F06827AD080256DA60033FE87?opendocument&l=en

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