Women's Aid - 16 Days Campaign Blog

Great Media Coverage for 16 Days events locally and nationally

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:51:00 GMT

clare haven release

It's great to see this year more than ever that local actions are being covered in the press:

Marchers Highlight Domestic violence, Carlow County Development Partnership (CCDP) in Carlow People

NGOs work toward ending violence against women, Akidwa, Misip and Family Mirror in Metro Éireann

'16 Days of Action' Campaign Draws To An End In Limerick, ADAPT Services in The Clare Herald

'Clare Haven campaign highlights 25% increase in violence to women' in the Clare Champion (pictured)

'Balloon release highlights domestic violence', Newpark Close Family Resource Centre in the Kilkenny Advertiser

'Local groups help highlight issue of domestic violence', West Limerick Resources, Adapt Services, and other local groups in the Kerryman

'Louth players pose for a different team photograph', Dundalk Women's Aid in The Argus

Gorey Family Resource Centre events in the Gorey Guardian

'Campaign starts to end violence against women', Southwest Wexford Community Development Project in New Ross Standard

'Tullamore to mark UN Day Opposing Violence against women', Offaly Domestic Violence Service in Offaly Express

'Balloon launch opposing violence against women', Ballybeg CDP, Waterford Traveller CDP, Larchville & Lisduggan CDP in Waterford Today

'Open Day at Women's Aid' Carlow Women's Aid in Carlow People

The Women's Aid launch of the National Balloon Action outside Dáil Éireann pictured on the cover of The Irish Times on November 25th, and a story appeared in the Irish Examiner and elsewhere.

'Lift-off for Rape Crisis Centre', Rape Crisis Mid-West in the Clare Champion

You can still make use of the National Balloon Action Sample Press Release and Photocall Notice for your upcoming 16 Days events.

16 Facts Day 16: Domestic Violence & Homicide

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 09:45:00 GMT

10th December: International Human Rights Day

The Facts

Since 1996 there have been 174 women murdered in the Republic of Ireland. 107 (61%) of these women were killed in their own homes.
[Women's Aid Female Homicide Media Watch, September 2011]

In the 131 cases where perpetrators have been noted, 68 women (52%) were killed by their partner or ex-partner. A further 47 women (36%) were killed by someone they knew (e.g. brother, son, neighbour). Thus, a total of 115 women (88%) were killed by someone they knew. In all of the resolved cases, 99% of perpetrators were male.
[Women's Aid Female Homicide Media Watch, September 2011]

40-70% of women who are murdered worldwide are killed by their current or former husband or boyfriend, frequently in the context of an ongoing abusive relationship.
_{[World Health Organisation (2002) World Report on Violence and Health]}

In the UK between 2001 and 2002, 46% of female homicide victims compared with 5% of male homicide victims were killed by a current or former partner. Over 2 women a week were killed by a former or current partner during this period.
_{[Flood-Page et al (2003) Crime in England and Wales 2001/2002: Supplementary Volume, Home Office]}

In 2007, 45% of female homicide victims in the US were murdered by a male partner or ex-partner, compared to 5% of men.
_{[Female Victims of Violence, Bureau Of Justice Statistics Selected Findings, September 2009, USDOJ]}

One Woman's Story

Susan*, who was in her early 30s, was found dead in her home. She had received a number of blows with a heavy instrument to her head after she had asked her abusive husband to leave. She was the mother of two young children. During the trial the court heard that her husband had assaulted Susan in the past and was very controlling. In the run up to her murder, Susan had decided that she wanted to do something about the abuse and had consulted a solicitor about taking out a barringorder. Her husband received a life term for murder and her children are now in the care of her family.
* Names have been changed due to the sensitivenature of this case study.

Take Action: Hold a minute's silence

To close the 16 Days of Action, hold a minute's silence to remember the women in Ireland who have died violently at the hands of their partners.

Westport Family Resource Centre, National Balloon Action

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:46:00 GMT

blog_0049

Westport Family & Community Resource Centre, together with the Volunteers and Young Men and Women in The Cove Youth Cafe launched the 'One in Five' Balloons on the afternoon of December 8th to raise awareness in their community that violence against women is a crime and should not be tolerated and to show their support of the '16 Days Campaign'

16 Facts Day 15: Domestic Violence & Gender

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:28:00 GMT

The Facts

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]}

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]}

90% of the more systematic, persistent and injurious violence that is instrumental in the maintenance of power, is perpetrated by men.
_{[Kimmel, S., M, Male Victims of Domestic Violence: A Substantive and Methodology Research Review, 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 (1992) Women, Violence and Social Change]}

In the US, the 2008 rate of intimate partner victimizations for women was 5.5 times higher than the rate for men, at 552,000 victimizations (4.3 per 1,000 women).
_{[Female Victims of Violence, Bureau Of Justice Statistics Selected Findings, September 2009, USDOJ]}

Take Action: Stay Engaged

Thank you for reading and forwarding on the 16 Facts emails. Now that the 16 Days is drawing to a close, make sure you stay engaged with the issue all year round.

Follow Women's Aid on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for our quarterly e-zine at www.womensaid.ie

Ronnie Faye, Director of Pavee Point Supports the 16 Days

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:05:00 GMT

PP Logo(1)

"Pavee Point's Violence Against Women Programme welcomes the opportunity to send this message of solidarity to Women's Aid for their yearly national campaign during the 16 Days of Action Opposing Violence Against Women.

Traveller, Roma and other minority ethnic women experience inequality, both on the basis of gender and ethnicity. Violence against women is not inherent in minority ethnic cultures. Women from every cultural and social background can and do experience violence.

Pavee Point VAW Programme greatly supports the work of Women's Aid in combating domestic violence and may their good work continue."

Pavee Point is an Irish NGO supporting Human Rights for Irish Travellers - an indigenous minority ethnic group in Ireland. It's a partnership of Travellers and settled people.

The VAW Programme aims to address these specific issues and difficulties by:

Building the capacity of local Traveller groups and organisations to develop understanding and tackle the issue of violence against women
Providing training to domestic and sexual violence service providers on Traveller culture, specific barriers and issues for Traveller women and good practise guidelines
Developing culturally appropriate information and awareness raising materials in order to increase knowledge of, and access to, services
Contributing to policy and service development and public awareness raising materials to ensure they are inclusive of the Traveller community.

16 Facts Day 14: Domestic Violence & Homelessness

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:55:00 GMT

The Facts

In 2010, there were 1,545 admissions of women and 2,355 admissions of children to refuge in Ireland.
_{[SAFE Ireland (2011) 2010 Annual Statistics]}

In a survey of 48 Dublin households in refuge and transitional accommodation, 40 had children (96 children total). 59% of women were aged 26-39 years old.
_{[Counted In, 2008: A report on the extent of homelessness in Dublin, Homeless Agency, (including the four domestic violence refuges in Dublin for the 1st time.)]}

According to the Council of Europe minimum of one refuge place (space to accommodate a woman and her children) per 10,000 people, there should be 446 family refuge places in Ireland. In reality, there are 143.
_{[Kelly & Dubois (2008) Combating violence against women: minimum standards for support services, Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs, COE]}

In a survey of homeless women in Cork, one quarter (24%) of women first became homeless because of domestic violence. This figure rose to 37% for women aged 27-44.
_{[Good Shepherd Services & Cork Simon Community (2011) Women's Health & Homelessness in Cork]}

In 2003, 26% of women who presented as homeless to the Irish Homeless Persons Unit had become homeless as a result of domestic violence.
_{[O'Connor & Wilson (2004) Safe Home: Sonas Housing Association Model of Supported Transitional Housing]}

In One Woman's Own Words

"I tried to leave him a few times and each time went to my family who tried to protect me and the two children. For three months I went back and forth between him and my family but each time I went back to him the threatening behaviour would start again after a few days. My partner began to threaten to do terrible things to my family. The threats became relentless and a daily occurrence.In December I decided that it was time I took control of the situation. I went into the Refuge in January and got a house in Sonas in May of that year." -Belinda

Take Action: Be there for someone you know

Women's Aid National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900: put it into your mobile phone contact list should you or anyone you know ever need it.
Learn about how you can be there for a friend, family member, or colleague experiencing abuse.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre supports the 16 Days of Action

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:38:00 GMT

DRCC

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre fully supports and endorses Women's Aid 2011 16 Days of Action Campaign opposing Violence Against Women. This campaign has proved in the past to be extremely effective in raising awareness of violence against women in general. The dovetailing of the DRCC's Awareness Raising Campaign with Women's Aid 16 Days of Action Campaign has generated a rise in the numbers of victims calling the helplines and availing of the much needed services.

Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop, Chief Executive, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

Find out more about DRCC here

Mountview Family Resource Centre Tree of Hope

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:43:00 GMT

mountview frc

On 5th December Mountview Family Resource Centre held a Christmas Tree of Hope event for those living with Domestic Violence.

The event remembered all people who have lived with domestic violence or who are still living with violence.

The event was well attended and a great success. Those present also took part in the Women's Aid National Balloon Action.