Election 2011: Legal protection for all women experiencing domestic violence

Welcome to the Women's Aid Election 2011 section. We are focusing on one critical area of concern in the run-up to this election - the need to amend the Domestic Violence Act, 1996, in order to address the gaps in eligibility for Domestic Violence Orders. These gaps leave many vulnerable women without protection.

Below, you will find our Election Manifesto which details these gaps along with an Action leaflet, both of which you can use as resources to distribute in your community in order to highlight these issues in the weeks running up to the election. We hope the resources will be of support to you during the current election campaign in seeking to make a real difference to the lives of women and children affected by domestic violence in Ireland.

Women's Aid Election Manifesto

In our Election 2011 Manifesto, Women's Aid is calling on the next government and all members of the next Dáil to amend the domestic violence legislation to increase eligibility for Domestic Violence Orders as a matter of priority. We hope you can raise this issue with local candidates in your local area. We have some suggested actions and questions for candidates.

We have a suggested template for a letter to the editor to assist you in raising this issue in your local media.

We would love to hear back from you about your efforts and any commitments made on the issue by local candidates feedback form.

Other Women's Aid Resources

Women's Aid Latest Annual Statistics Report

Women's Aid Briefings, Research and Publications

Women's Aid Frequently Asked Questions on Domestic Violence

Other Useful Lobbying Tools and Resources

National and International Research on Violence against Women

National and International Statistics on Violence against Women

NWCI An Effective Guide to Lobbying for Women's Groups in Ireland

NALA Plain English Guide to Political Terms

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