Record number of domestic abuse cases against women and children reported last year

Domestic violence and abuse charity Women's Aid is reporting the highest number of domestic abuse cases in its 50-year history, with over 40,000 disclosures in 2023.

The Women’s Aid Annual Report for 2023 shows a shocking 40,048 disclosures of abuse against women and children, an 18 per cent increase on the previous year.

Disclosures of abuse to Women's Aid last year included emotional abuse, physical violence, sexual abuse, and economic control. Many of these combine to constitute coercive control, which is now a criminal offence in Ireland.

The charity said there was an 87% rise in economic abuse and a 74% increase in physical violence reported to its service last year when compared to the previous year.

Among the reports made were that partners and ex-partners were subjecting women to assaults with weapons, constant surveillance and monitoring, controlling all family finances, taking and sharing of intimate images online, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children's lives.

Sarah Benson, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Women’s Aid said that the number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to the charity was "utterly appalling", but also "just the tip of the iceberg".

"One in four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and there are also so many children, families and whole communities also impacted," Benson said. "Fear, stigma, and self-blame due to the impact of the abuse – but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence prevent victims from coming forward".

Benson revealed that about one third of domestic abuse victims will suffer in total isolation, not informing anybody of what is happening to them.

"We still have so much work to do to break this silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve. What we hear in our national and regional services is replicated across Ireland in local domestic abuse refuges and organisations.”

For those affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can contact Women’s Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Men’s Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information.

Safe Ireland also offers a number of local services and helplines here. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.