Women’s refuge warns of crisis

A NORTHSIDE women’s and children’s refuge has called for urgent action to deal with the growing crisis in accommodation support for victims of domestic violence.

It follows figures revealed last week which show that on one day in 2013, a total of 467 women and 229 children were being accommodated and/or received support from a service in Ireland.

The statisics were published as part of the SAFE Ireland One Day Census and refer to a 24-hour period on November 5, 2013. SAFE Ireland is a national network of domestic violence services.

Aoibhneas Women and Children’s Refuge, based in Coolock, and a member of Safe Ireland, took part in the event.

On November 5, 2013, a total of 19 women and 26 children accessed its crisis domestic violence support.

Ten families were accommodated in the refuge itself which included 10 women and 23 children.

As the centre was at capacity, Aoibhneas was unable to accommodate one family seeking refuge on the day. Its outreach service also provided specialist domestic violence support to four women living in the community on November 5, 2013.

Emma Reidy, manager of Aoibhneas Women and Children’s Refuge, said that while the national figures for the census were

“horrific

?, they were not surprising.

“They are dwarfed by the prevalence of domestic violence that goes undisclosed and unreported in this country,

? Ms Reidy told Northside People.

“A recent EU-wide survey – the biggest and most indepth survey on violence against women ever carried out – showed that 70 per cent of Irish women did not contact any organisation following the most serious incidence of violence.

“What is also shocking, and something we don’t think about is that on this one day, nearly 700 people were homeless or were at risk of homelessness because their own homes were not safe places to be.

“The reality is that women and children are made homeless by domestic violence. They are a unique group within the homeless population because they are fleeing crimes.

“But victims of domestic violence are not explicitly recognised in Irish housing legislation or provision, as they are in other jurisdictions like the UK, which recognises people who are homeless because of unsafe conditions.

?

Ms Reidy said that as part of SAFE Ireland, they have been working with Minister for Housing, Jan O’Sullivan, to change this situation.

“We are calling on the Government to amend and develop housing legislation, as a matter of urgency, to remove barriers that are stopping women and children from accessing accommodation,

? she stated.

“This starts with expanding the definition of homelessness so that it explicitly and unequivocally includes victims of domestic violence.

“Safe accommodation, whether that’s emergency refuge provision, medium-term transitional housing or longer-term housing is the most pressing need for most women and children coming to your service.

“They need a safe roof over their heads before they can start to deal with the horror of their situation, make decisions, or maintain some semblance of a family life for children.

?

Ms Reidy said that instead of being accommodated and helped, women and children were being met with unacceptable barriers and hurdles that were forcing too many to return to the violent homes they came from.

“And these daily barriers to housing are being further exacerbated now by the critical housing shortage in many areas of the country,

? she said.

In 2013, a total of 196 women and 323 children accessed the Aoibhneas refuge service compared to 141 women and 207 children in 2012. And tellingly, Aoibhneas could not accommodate 531 women and 789 children wishing to access safety in 2013.

Since 2009 Aoibhneas has experienced a 24.5 per cent cut to core funding. Despite these cuts it has had to respond to the increased numbers of women and children seeking refuge and outreach support.

“So far this year (January to May) we have been unable to accommodate 258 women and 445 children,

? said Ms Reidy.

“Aoibhneas is tasked to provide women and children experiencing domestic violence crisis accommodation and support. The lack of options that exist around housing is having a significant impact in how we can support women transitioning from crisis accommodation.

?

Ms Reidy said the women and children behind these statistics do not need reactions of shock or surprise.

“They do not need sympathy or regret,

? she added. They need action. They need to be taken seriously. They need leadership, in particular political leadership, here at a local level and at a national level.

?

From 1988 to 1996 Aoibhneas provided refuge support from a three-bedroom flat in Ballymun. In 1996, it was allocated funding to open a purpose built refuge centre located in Coolock.

*The Aoibhneas 24-hour confidential helpline number is 01-8670701.