Digital Desk Staff
There was a 25 per cent increase in the number of calls answered by domestic violence services during the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Safe Ireland says almost 34,000 were answered between March and August, compared to roughly 27,000 over the same period in 2018.
Almost three in ten women who sought help had never done so before, while a quarter of children who reported abuse did so for the first time.
As the Irish Times reports, new figures show an average of almost 2,000 women and 411 children were in receipt of some kind of support from domestic violence services – such as a refuge, counselling, accompaniment, information or advice – each month since last March.
Of those women and children, an average of 575 women and 98 children accessed the service for the first time.
The number of women accessing services decreased by 8 per cent between March and April as lockdown restrictions were put in place across Ireland.
Since April, however, the number of women accessing services has steadily increased each month, with August being the only month which saw a decrease.
Lack of space
The findings are contained in a report by Safe Ireland – a national agency which works with domestic violence agencies – based on data collected monthly from 31 services.
The 'Tracking the Shadow Pandemic' report also shows the number of children accessing services has risen each month with June the only month which saw a decrease.
The number of children receiving support peaked in August when 578 children accessed services, a 36 per cent increase on July figures.
The number of helpline calls answered by services also increased since March. A total of 33,941 helpline calls were answered during the period.
The pressure facing services is evidenced in data which shows that more than 1,300 requests for refuge could not be met due to lack of space. That is an average of 225 a month or eight requests a day.
The report also shows domestic violence services faced a range of challenges over recent months.
