Appeal to help domestic abuse victims with figures on the rise

Appeal to help domestic abuse victims with figures on the rise

12 February 2020

NEWRY, Mourne and Down Council is to be asked to play a key role in helping protect people and families from domestic abuse.

The appeal comes after recent figures revealed that last year, Northern Ireland recorded the highest number of domestic abuse incidents since records began.

It is estimated that one in four women and one in nine men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes, truly sobering statistics. In 2018/19 there were 31,682 recorded instances of domestic abuse with current statistics pointing to one incident every 17 minutes.

Members of the local authority’s Active and Healthy Communities Committee will shortly debate a motion on domestic abuse tabled by Slieve  Croob councillor Roísín Howell.

She wants the organisation to work alongside statutory and voluntary agencies and health trusts to ensure that support and protection of individuals and families experiencing domestic violence is a priority across all council facilities.

Cllr Howell said Sinn Fein believes that the local authority could assist statutory and voluntary agencies by taking small measures which would hopefully have an impact on some of the victims’ lives.

She highlighted the importance of ensuring council staff can avail of so-called ONUS training to help with dealing with domestic abuse.

“We need  to work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary agencies and health trusts to ensure support and protection of individuals and families experiencing domestic violence,” added Cllr Howell.

Her party colleagues, councillors Cathy Mason and Oonagh Hanlon are fully supportive of the motion and recently attended an event hosted by South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership and the Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

Cllr Mason explained that the event’s aim was not only to highlight some of the work being undertaken to support and protect those experiencing domestic violence, but to prevent it from happening.

She continued: “It was particularly alarming that in rural areas, reporting is very low. Lack of transport, isolation and fear of the stigma in close-knit communities can prevent victims from seeking help. I believe every member of the community has a part to play in promoting the services available and recognising the signs of abuse.”

Confirming that it is estimated that one in four women and one in nine men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes, Cllr Hanlon said there was a “common misconception” that domestic violence takes place between a husband and wife, with the husband or the male being the perpetrator and the wife or female being the victim.

But she said the Men’s Advisory Project — which provides counselling for men experiencing abuse — reports that 32 per cent of reported domestic incidents are happening to men.

Cllr Hanlon declared: “Domestic violence has a devastating affect not only directly to the victim, but also their family and children. 

“I would like to see a roll-out of support for children, much the same as Operation Encompass in England which directly connects the police with schools to ensure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness police-attended incidents of domestic abuse.

“Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short, medium and long-term effects of domestic abuse.”

Cllr Hanlon said she also welcomes confirmation that new laws will brought via the Assembly  make coercive control, such as behaviour that amounts to “psychological, emotional or financial abuse” illegal.

The Downpatrick councillor revealed that in 2018/19 there were four murders motivated by domestic abuse and 11 murders the previous year in Northern Ireland. 

She also said that children who witness domestic abuse suffer emotional and psychological maltreatment which can result in them having low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, poor peer relationships, poor school performance, feelings of self-blame, shame and lifelong post traumatic stress disorder.