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WOMEN’S AID SAW an increase of almost 5,000 calls to its national helpline last year as the organisation extended its call hours, its annual report 2016 found.
Callers to the helpline reported 16,946 instances of domestic abuse against women in 2016.
A further 3,823 disclosures were made reporting child abuse, including physical and sexual abuse.
2016 was the first year the charity provided the National Freephone Helpline on a 24/7 basis, resulting in an additional 4,910 calls which were responded to by the organisation.
A total of 96% of the callers to the helpline were female.
The report emphasises the impact that domestic violence in the home has on children, with child abuse often coming hand in hand with mothers being abused.
Margaret Martin, director of Women’s Aid spoke of the concern the organisation has about the numbers of children being directly abused and exposed to domestic violence.
“In 2016, women told us that their children were being hit, slapped, shouted at and called names, and in some cases, sexually abused,” Martin said.
Children have been told they will be killed alongside their mothers. At times, the perpetrator of the abuse has deliberately targeted the children as a way to hurt both them and their mother.
The report said that putting an end to a relationship doesn’t always protect women and children from domestic violence. 26% of abuse reported to Women’s Aid last year was carried out by an ex-partner or ex-husband.
“It is heart-breaking to listen to women who are living in a constant state of fear for their children and themselves,” Martin said.
“This fear is heightened when women have to facilitate access to the children for the man who has been perpetrating domestic violence. A father’s right to access should not outweigh a child’s right to safety.”
Child protection and safety should be prioritised in all custody and access proceedings. To do anything less is to fail women and children.
Martin outlined some of the various types of violence reported to the helpline, including: women being beaten with weapons, stabbed and cut with knives, being strangled and raped.
“We heard from women that their partners had raped them, coerced them into sex, had prevented access to family planning and some had explicit videos and images made and shared online without their consent,” Martin said.
Some women experienced miscarriages as a result of the assaults, while others were left with post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.
The Women’s Aid 24 hour National Freephone Helpline is available seven days a week at 1800 341 900. Additional support and information can be found here.
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Waiting for the comments of “but what about the men??” and “it’s so sexist that there are shelters for women”.
So many women are abused, assaulted, and killed by men. Every week almost we hear about another woman in Ireland murdered by a man.
@Veronica: unfortunately they do nothing to help men who do suffer abuse. They just want to belittle what women go through and they don’t understand that we need their help to actually stop this behaviour being acceptable.
@Deborah Behan: Yep. It’s extremely clear that none of them care about helping men (in fact I would also posit that they would be first on the line for making fun of a man who WAS being domestically abused), it’s just that they don’t want to see women getting something they think they’re not.
If any of them gave a damn about helping men they would get off their backsides and actually do something about it the way we do, but no. It’s just about being able to continue making women suffer.
@Veronica:
Statistics show children are far more likely to be abused, neglected or killed by their mother. 39% of Calls to the non sexist domestic abuse line last year were made by men but you women keep on believing that domestic abuse is gendered and not intergenerational.
@Gaucho Doyle: You’re mistaken, statistics show that mothers are more likely to kill infants, and fathers are more likely to kill their children when they’re over 5.
Some other stats for you:
1 in 7 women in Ireland compared to 1 in 17 men experience severe domestic violence. Women are over twice as likely as men to have experienced severe physical abuse, seven times more likely to have experienced sexual abuse, and are more likely to experience serious injuries than men. (National Crime Council and ESRI, Domestic Abuse of Women and Men in Ireland, 2005)
90% of the more systematic, persistent and injurious violence that is instrumental in the maintenance of power, is perpetrated by men. (Male Victims of Domestic Violence: A Substantive and Methodology Research Review, Michael S. Kimmel, 2001)
A major study of police reports and crime surveys in the UK, USA and Canada found that between 90 and 97% of perpetrators of violence in intimate relationships are men. (Dobash and Dobash, Women, Violence and Social Change, 1992)
In the five years ending in March 2010, more than 312,100 defendants were prosecuted for domestic violence in the UK. 93% of defendants were men and 85% of victims were women. [Violence against Women Crime Report 2009-2010, UK Crown Prosecution Service]
@Veronica:
The vast majority if child abuse cases arw neglect. With women being the main carer in the most of these cases. That makes women far more likely to abuse their children than men statistically.
@Gaucho Doyle: The article is about domestic violence against women. Why are you trying to convince me that women have the potential to be child abusers? I’m well aware of how prevalent child abuse is and that women are also perpetrators of it. Why try to derail like that?
@Veronica:
How is this article not derailing the domestic abuse discussion when it clearly ignores half the victims and a complete gender.
@Veronica: Actually I know why. Trying to take the heat off men and the violence they commit against women, which is the point of the article. So transparent and pathetic.
@Gaucho Doyle: @Gaucho Doyle: @Gaucho Doyle: Because half of the victims are not men, and women are by far more likely to be hospitalised and killed by a man than a man is by a woman. Use your head. It’s not a race to the bottom of “who has it worse”, it’s about damage control since violent men apparently can’t control themselves into not behaving like run of the mill rubbish.
@Veronica:
Women are far more likely then men to use a weapon and far less likely to be punished for it.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3574770/oxford-student-lavinia-woodward-stabbed-tinder-boyfriend-spared-jail
i am not disputing the fact that when a man punches a women, it will do more damage then when a women hits a man. The point is women abuse men both mentally and physically at the same rates men do. Men will do more damage obviously but women are far more likely to use a weapon.
@Veronica: we all know that men are not reporting domestic abuse due to the fact that there are very limited services for them to turn to and due to both men and women having the mindset that a man can’t be abused.
also, while men are more likely to be violent, women are more likely to dish out severe emotional abuse.
nobody is saying that domestic abuse against women is not an issue and there should def be services for women to turn to. however, even though violence against men might be less than against women, those men should still have somewhere to go to.
in terms of women being murdered by their partners – yes, it is not acceptable. but it is not happening every week. there have been a number of articles in the press recently. however, the murders were back in 2012 (anna Finnegan) and in 2014 (Sonia blount).
you and the likes of Deborah and daisy have called anyone who wants to help mens rights misogynists in other articles. now here you are calling for men to do something about abuse against men!
@Veronica:
You theory does not explain why women in homosexual relationship report the highest rates of domestic violence out of all types of relationships?
@Veronica: You’ve been indoctrinated Veronica. Female violence against males is often non-physical and not reported while the physical variety if under reported because of societal ‘shame’ responses.
If you want to know the difference, have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzfLVyNHJgQ
@gjpb:
>you and the likes of Deborah and daisy have called anyone who wants to help mens rights misogynists in other articles. now here you are calling for men to do something about abuse against men!
It feels like you’re wantonly misunderstanding me. I’ve never said anyone who helps men is misogynist (ridiculous), I’ve said that trying to act like men don’t hurt women, and trying to derail every single conversation about violence against women into “but what about meeee/n” is pretty close to misogyny.
If you care about the violence men face, do something about it, don’t just whinge that women are trying to better their lives but not mens. Women wouldn’t have to have these services if it wasn’t for men.
@vNblxOSQ: How many men are killed each day by their female partner?
@Veronica: why are these threads always women versus man moans. Why can’t it just be people against abusers as we actually do something about it. No one has a right to raise their hand regardless of age or gender
@john Appleseed: I don’t know, I don’t get it myself. It’s just something I’ve noticed, as soon as there’s an article about domestic violence or a woman who was killed by her partner, loads of men come out of the woodwork to moan “but what about the meeeeeeeen” and “not all men”. Like, the article is specifically about women, I don’t know why we’re never allowed to just focus on women.
I mean, just even yesterday a woman was killed by her partner.
@Deborah Behan: “They just want to belittle what women go through and they don’t understand that we need their help to actually stop this behaviour being acceptable”….bloody hell there’s a leap and generalisation if ever i heard one. What have you done to help women who suffer abuse? There have been plenty of times I’ve helped mates out who were berated and abused by partners and i’m sure you’ve done the same. Drawing battle lines and accusing men of turning a blind eye to domestic abuse is going to do nothing.
@Veronica: Forget it Veronica . This is what they do. They descend into whataboutry in order to deflect from the facts presented . It ALWAYS happens . When there is articles about male victims I’d domestic violence they NEVER go on about how men can be abusers too. It’s the same old arguments that do nothing to further their cause and do you know what the real problem is for them ? The funding women’s aid agency’s get versus the finding male agencies get. It’s all about money. Heard it all on here soooo many times in the past. They literally jump on every article like this. Their ” whataboutry” knows no limits
@Veronica: i am not trying to derail this discussion but you started the entire comments section off with your comments about men. of course everyone is going to react to that.
all you 3 have previously called MRA types misogynists.
you have also said in another article that all men are potential abusers/rapists. that was a shocking and disgusting comment. so again, of course everyone reacts when you talk as the tone of all your comments is anti-men.
I have also never said that men don’t hurt women. I think it’s a problem. all I think is that men should have access to services where they are being abused also (isn’t that what feminism is supposed to be about – equal access to services??)
@gjpb: Yes, all men ARE potential abusers, because they grow up in a system where masculinity is celebrated and that in order to be “good strong men” they need to control women and make sexual conquests. Most men don’t become abusers, but considering the climate in which we all grow up in, yeah, the potential is there. I don’t know why that’s so shocking and upsetting for you to hear.
>all you 3 have previously called MRA types misogynists.
Because they are. The head honchos of the MRM have advocated rape and violence against women, said that rape victims were begging for it, that the idea of violence against feminists gives them erections. You think that’s not misogynist?
@Veronica:
Right, my code has run, I’m back to work. Hope you all feel good about yourselves for once again trying to force men back into the focus, even though we’ve all seen first hand in the last week that Irish women have lost their lives because of their partners.
@Veronica: I was never brought up to control a woman and I don’t know anyone who was either. not sure where or what way you were brought up but that is not how most people have not been brought up.
I find your comment implying that I am a potential abuser as disgusting.
can you give me the link where the head of AMEN said that violence against feminists gave him an erection?
@Veronica: i repeat again, you were the one who brought men into the focus with your first comment!!!
stop deflecting.
@gjpb: Any actual proof to back up your stupidity?
@Veronica: YOU STARTED IT!
First post “Waiting for the comments of “but what about the men??”
@Veronica:
I don’t know how you were brought up but most men in my life,my Father,Husband,Brothers ,Sons and good friends , have never resorted to violence so I do not understand how you can say that most men are potential abusers .Not True.
@Veronica: You are as mad as a box of frogs. Every comment just another rabid misandrist diatribe. You and your ilk are the reason radical feminism is regarded more and more with ridicule. The suggestion that “… all men ARE potential abusers…” exposes you as a sick individual.
@Daffy the Bear: Well said.
If the Veronica of Jesus’ time was like her she’d be moaning about him using his privilege to mess up her veil.
Bat **** crazy.
@Veronica: You are the one that brought men into this as you always do. You go out of your way to get a reaction from men and then you whinge when you do. You do nothing to advance the plight of abused women.
@Veronica: I might venture even further to suggest that the vitriol and naked hatred towards men that characterises your comments, based on the negative actions of a tiny minority, is no different and no better than any hatred, be it racism, ageism, sexism or any other descriminatory position. You are truly a sad, sick, thick and unpleasant person..
@Veronica: I agree with 100% with everything you’ve said .. wait till the next article about DV and the same thing will happen again with the comments. .
@Suzie Sunshine: yes, Veronica will most likely kick off the commentary on that article too with her distinctive brand of single-minded hate..
Men are also victims too and double victimised by a macho society not believing them.
@abcyz: Yup, which is another reason we need to do away with patriarchy.
@abcyz: It’s amazing how quickly a story about domestic violence affecting women is made about men and their martyrdom.
@abcyz: who built that society? Who made the rules? Let’s change those rules. Abuse is abuse.
@Veronica:
I agree veronica, we must do away with it, I’ll get the two of us a baseball bat and you can point out exactly where this patriarchy is and we can do away with it.
@Lisa Saputo: what do you mean by martyrdom? Don’t you believe that all domestic violence should be treated seriously? I guess the reason these comments always arise on articles about DV against women is because, guess what, there are almost never articles about DV against men despite research showing it is far more common than believed.
@Pat Mustard: Why don’t you go about setting some up then?
Also, one of the reasons that there are shelters specifically for women is because so many women are hospitalised and killed by their partners, in numbers FAR huger than men by women. Even men by men. Men are far stronger physically than women, and have demonstrated time and again that they’re willing to kill and maim.
@Maurice Bourke: Just the one bat between the two of us? Might get a little crowded down at the handle!
@Veronica: you and the likes of Deborah and Daisy have called anyone who wants to help mens rights misogynists.
nobody is calling to take away any of the help women get for domestic abuse. however, more needs to be done to help both men and women who suffer from it
@gjpb:
>nobody is calling to take away any of the help women get for domestic abuse.
Actually, several people in previous comments have indeed been saying that. They’ve been saying that it’s a disgrace that there are women only shelters, and that they shouldn’t be funded because they’re sexist.
I’m not saying men don’t also need help, what I’m saying is that my focus is on women, as women suffer more vicious violence at the hands of men than men do women. If more men cared about men you’d all be trying to eliminate the idea that violence is macho and masculine. Men kill and maim an awful lot of men too.
If yous were actually interested in helping men you’d be discussing them on articles about violence committed against men, as opposed to hijacking ones that focus on women like you always do.
@gjpb: Also, you’re grossly misunderstanding what “rights” men are lacking. Men are creating the laws for men. Men are not lacking in any rights. Men suffer as a result of class oppression, but that’s not related directly to feminism. Instead of complaining that people are helping women, instead focus on what’s actually hurting men, and who’s responsible for it.
@Veronica: I thought feminism was about equality and that everyone should have the same access to services?
I think people are trying to make the point that there should be shelters should be for both women and men.
I certainly don’t have any problem with women accessing shelters/services. but I do think men need more help.
I did not hijack this comments section . the very first comment is from you complaining about men. then everyone is responding to that and your toxic comments. remember a previous article where you made the disgusting comment that all men were potential abusers.
men are lacking in rights – parental rights just to name one.
I think you will find that there are now plenty of women creating laws too – may, merkel, etc, etc.
@gjpb:
>I thought feminism was about equality
No, feminism is about the liberation of women from systemic oppression.
Look, what I want is for NOBODY to be abused full stop. I want us to live in a society where nobody is raped or beaten or killed, but until then we have to face the facts that it’s overwhelmingly men who are doing those things against mostly women.
We should all be working together to dismantle gender and stereotypes so that we can all just live as ourselves without being constrained by all the rubbish society forces on us. That includes men and parental leave btw (but I’d also like to point out that that’s a leftover from the not too distant past where it was assumed that women weren’t good for anything except for keeping house and raising babies. Before that women and their children belonged to the husband because they weren’t allowed to own any property, and children were viewed as property).
@Veronica: is feminism not about equality? the likes of Deborah usually comes on here saying it’s about equality.
do agree with your point about nobody should be abused.
i do realise that abuse from men against women is a problem i hope you realise that abuse from women against men is a problem too
@Veronica: “Men are not lacking in any rights.”
Oh ffs. You really are an imbecile.
@Veronica: “Why don’t you go about setting some up then?”
Why, so you’re ilk can protest, derail it and shut it down? You do literally the exact same thing you accuse men of doing.
@Gareth Stewart: your
@Veronica: parental rights, not parental leave, you complete clown..
No doubt Women’s Aid has forwarded all such complaints to the Gardai? Especially the ones to do with child abuse and child sexual abuse.
@Brent Weaver: I think they might to in the case of child sexual assault but they may not have any helpful details. They certainly don’t have any right to forward details regarding adults although they work with women to help them report these crimes.
@Lisa Saputo: All they need is the phone number. Pass it to the Gardai and they can track down the owner. Womens aid should explicitly detail how they deal with these cases. Otherwise its all BS.
@Brent Weaver: You’ve obviously never volunteered for an adult’s helpline. All disclosures are done on a confidential basis. All any helpline can do is recommend the caller go to the gardai.
Any domestic violence is wrong and should be rigorously pursued by the gardai (or sorted out by the victim’s family) but forgive my cynicism I just can’t believe the statistics trotted out by the groups involved
It’s unverified sensationalism.
Abused women only count in this country if the abuser is a Shinner and Enda can use them as a photo op
@Daithí Uí Ciarmhic: Thats a pathetic comment.
@Honeybadger197: Not really, considering she was dropped like a hot snot when she was no longer useful. Which is what happens abuse victims in this country. Use one or 2 for publicity while slashing budgets to services and refuges so we end up with more murder suicides and people scared and suffering alone in silence because successive Irish governments don’t care that people are being abused in relationships.
Any women who disagree with radical feminists like Veronica are suffering with ‘internalised misogyny’ & all the men are mansplaining misogynists. These are the only reasons anyone could possibly disagree with radical feminists.
http://ardevine.blogspot.ie/2017/05/mansplaining-defined-short-and-easy-to.html?m=1
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