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By 1980 the demands on
the three refuges in Northern Ireland were immense and it was obvious that
facilities were hopelessly inadequate to meet the need. The 1975 government report by the Select
Committee on "Violence in Marriage" had recommended that there should
be one family space per 10,000 population.
Applying this to Northern Ireland meant a minimum target of 150 family
spaces or 450 bed spaces. As
Northern Ireland had only 25 family places, the overriding priority for the
1980's was to extend the provision throughout the country. Help from established refuges was crucial during this period
of regional development. They
provided expertise, support and advice for new groups setting up in Omagh and
North Down in (1982), Newry (1983), Ballymena and Enniskillen (1984), Antrim
(1986), Craigavon (1988) and Lisburn (1998).
By adopting the
principles of self-help within a supportive structure and women only
environment, Women's Aid has provided one of the most innovative and effective
models of working to be seen in either the voluntary or statutory sectors in
recent years.
The pioneering work
which characterised the 1970's was not forgotten during the 1980's. A conference on sexual abuse was held in
1985 and led to a refuge specifically for victims of incest and sexual abuse
being opened by Belfast Women's Aid in 1986, one of the few in the United
Kingdom.
Concern grew over the
response of other agencies to domestic violence, particularly the police
response in 1987.
The role of Women's Aid
in providing training and awareness to outside agencies was also developed
during this period and included training with police officers, social workers,
health visitors and other professionals.
The funding of refuges
which was a source of constant difficulty placed Women's Aid groups in great
economic insecurity. However, with
the growing recognition of the expertise that Women's Aid had to offer statutory
agencies, securing funding, albeit at a minimum level has become somewhat
easier. In 1989, with the
introduction of the Homeless Persons Act, Women's Aid in Northern Ireland was
fortunate to retain funding for the care elements of the work whilst the NI
Housing Executive took responsibility for the accommodation costs. This dual funding mechanism reflects the
diverse elements in the service Women's Aid provides. It is primarily the result of the open
and honest working relationship that had been established and maintained over
the years between Women's Aid and a wide range of voluntary and statutory
agencies.
By the end of the
1980's Women's Aid was and still is the largest provider of temporary
accommodation in the voluntary sector with over 100 family spaces including provision for women and children who
have been victims of incest and sexual abuse. next page
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