Home News Latest News Lack of women's refuge branded an 'utter disgrace'

Lack of women's refuge branded an 'utter disgrace'

Tuesday, 01 December 2009

AN unpublished report has identified the immediate need for a women’s refuge in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area to accommodate the female victims of domestic violence, Southside People has learned. During the week that marked the UN Day Against Violence Against Women, it was revealed that some Southside women who flee violent partners have to travel as far as Navan and Drogheda for refuge. The revelation was described as a disgrace on the same day that members of Women’s Aid staged a demonstration outside the Dail to highlight the fact that one in every five women in Ireland are living in fear of those closest to them. Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council already run women's refuges in their catchment areas on the Southside but there is none for victims in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown. A new draft report jointly funded by the State’s Homeless Agency, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Sonas Housing Association – to be published next year - has identified an urgent need for such a women's refuge. The Sonas Housing Association provides supported transitional housing to women and their children who are made homeless because of domestic violence. Sharon Cosgrove, the CEO of Sonas, said the association, which is responsible for tackling homelessness in the Dublin area, identified the need for a feasibility study for the provision of a women's refuge in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area in their 2007 -2010 action plan. “This feasibility study confirms the need for a refuge in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area,” she said. “The size of the refuge that has been identified is one with between 20 and 24 bed spaces, so it is a reasonably big refuge given the size of the population in the area.” Provision According to Ms Cosgrove, the study looked at the population of the area, the level of domestic violence and what the refuge provision levels should be. “Dún Laoghaire Rathdown doesn't have any refuge accommodation at all,” Ms Cosgrove added. “The closest one is Bray, which is a tiny refuge. If a woman is in crisis and has to leave her home because she is in danger and wants emergency accommodation, there is currently no service that can support her in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area at all.” Last week calls for a women's refuge in the area were backed up by county councillors in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown who passed a motion to make it an objective in the local authority's draft county development. The motion was put forward by Cllr Mary Mitchell O'Connor (FG) who described the lack of a women's refuge in the area as an “utter disgrace”. “Ireland has a major problem when it comes to domestic violence and a chronic shortage of accommodation for the women and their children who suffer because of it,” Cllr O’Conner said. “In 2008, 1,952 women and 2,985 children were admitted to refuge accommodation. “These were the fortunate women and children for whom accommodation was available. Incredibly, the Dún Laoghaire area has no refuge. The nearest refuges are in Bray, Rathmines, Tallaght and Blanchardstown, which are already crammed to capacity.” She added: “I am aware of instances where women from this area have had to go to Navan and Drogheda. It’s an utter disgrace that a supposedly affluent area can’t provide shelter for abused women and children.” Support A spokeswoman for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said Sonas has recently acquired 15 units of accommodation from the council. “These units will be used as permanent and transitional supported housing for women and children on the council’s social housing list affected by domestic violence,” she said. “This is the first accommodation provided by the council with support from Sonas for women and children fleeing domestic violence.” She added that the unpublished study, jointly funded by the council, indicated there was a need for good quality refuge accommodation in addition to ancillary services, which may include ongoing specialist support for people experiencing domestic violence.