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PRESS RELEASE EMBARGOED
– 00.00 TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2003
WOMEN’S
AID SEES NEW HOPE FOR TACKLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Northern Ireland Women’s
Aid Federation (Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland) welcomes the launch today of
Tackling Violence at Home, the Government’s proposals on
domestic violence in Northern Ireland.
Tackling Violence at Home
gives a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to addressing
violence in the home and sets out for consultation a range of measures
that will contribute to a long-awaited strategy on domestic violence.
Domestic violence is an
issue that Government must address. Research shows that as many as one in
four women may experience abuse at home including physical and sexual
violence and emotional abuse. It is Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland’s view that an issue affecting
such a significant number of women in our community requires a clear and
adequately resourced Government strategy. Women’s Aid in Northern
Ireland has been advocating the development of such a strategy for many
years now.
Hilary Sidwell, Director
of Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland commented “We will be seeking the views and reactions of local
Women’s Aid groups as well as consulting with other women’s groups and
interested parties throughout Northern Ireland to ensure that a realistic
and effective strategy is developed. We aim to reflect the experience and
responses of women who are survivors of domestic violence as well as those
who provide support services to them.”
Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland wants to see a
Northern Ireland inter-ministerial domestic violence team established to
develop a local strategy based on this consultation paper, Tackling
Violence at Home. This strategy should set out to achieve
the following goals:
·
To increase
safe choices including housing, judicial redress and financial support for
women and children fleeing domestic violence.
·
To hold
individual abusers accountable for their behaviour in such a way that not
only acts as a future deterrent to them but also as a deterrent to
potential abusers.
·
To run a
public education campaign that confronts social tolerance or approval of
domestic violence and challenges inaction by either individuals or
organisations.
Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland hopes that the
responses and recommendations stimulated during the consultation process
will make a major contribution to achieving these goals. Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland will work
with Government departments to support the full and effective
implementation of all recommendations.
ENDS
For further information
please contact:
Northern Ireland Women’s
Aid Federation Tel: 028 9024 9041
Email:
Women’s Aid Federation
Northern [email protected] Web:
www.Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland.org
NOTES TO EDITORS
·
The Government published Safety and Justice –
a consultation document for England and Wales in June 2003. It has
established a domestic violence inter-ministerial group for England and
Wales with representatives from five Government departments and has
committed funding of £21m for three years to local authorities in England
and Wales for the development of refuges for women fleeing domestic
violence.
·
The Northern
Ireland Women’s Aid Federation (Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland) was established in 1978 and is
marking its 25th year of addressing domestic violence in 2003.
The role of Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland is to act as a co-ordinating and resource support for
the 10 local Women’s Aid groups that are affiliated to it.
·
Since 1996
44 people have been killed in Northern Ireland in domestic murders and the
PSNI responded to almost 90,000 domestic incidents over half of which
involved violence.
·
There have
been over 78,000 calls to the Women’s Aid Federation
Northern Ireland 24 hour helpline since it was
established in 1995.
·
The British
Crime Survey indicates that 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence at
some point in their lives. It cuts across class, age, religion and ethnic
group. It is most commonly perpetrated by men against women.
·
The impact
of domestic violence on the lives of women can result in homelessness,
protracted health problems – mental and physical due to repeated
threatened and actual emotional, sexual and physical abuse,
hospitalisation and at its most extreme death.
·
The Women’s
Aid 24 hour Helpline number is 028 90331818. Women can call the Helpline
for assistance and support. For women who do not speak English, the
helpline now uses Language Line, a UK wide professional interpreting
service in over 100 languages.
Click here to view the document at the DHSSPSNI website.
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