Experts on domestic violence tell of ‘three attacks per hour’

Experts on domestic violence tell of ‘three attacks per hour’

12 December 2018

POLICE responded to a domestic abuse incident every 18 minutes during 2017 and 2018, a conference aimed at tackling violence against women heard in Newcastle last week. 

The event was held at the Burrendale Hotel and was led by international expert Jason Katz who co-founded Mentors in Violence Prevention.

The conference was hosted by Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), along with the Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership and County Down Rural Community Network. 

Entitled ‘Men’s Leadership in Gender Based Violence — Let’s End the Silence’, it was attended by over 120 delegates from agencies throughout the district and marked the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

Those attending were told that one in three women knew someone who had experienced violence at one time in their lives. 

The conference helped those attending to discuss links between gender violence, knife crime, gang violence, behavioural issues and mental health problems that men and boys experience.

The conference’s goal was to provide male leaders within society with the tools to speak out, to show leadership and to stand up against gender violence through a change in attitudes in daily lives.

Councillor Robert Burgess, PCSP chairman, said: “The PCSP is delighted to support this conference and thank Mr Katz for making the journey from the US to be with us today. It has been a privilege to hear him speak so passionately about the issue of gender violence.”

Sheila Simons, chairwoman of the South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership, added: “It’s important that an expert of Mr Katz’s standing visited Co Down as gender violence remains a huge issue affecting people from all communities in Northern Ireland. 

“Gender violence costs too much to ignore. The direct cost to services and lost economic output in Northern Ireland is estimated to amount to more than £900 million.”