March 2024 Event: Domestic Violence: Archetype or Exception?

Mary McDermott

Is CEO of Safe Ireland and Adjunct Professor at the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork. Mary spoke about the role that Safe Ireland plays in investigating the causes and effects of domestic violence and in implementing actions for prevention and response at all levels. She discussed the importance of developing 21^st century analyses and language to challenge extant or emerging patriarchies, and we heard about the term DSGSBV – domestic, sex, gender and sexuality-based violence and the need to deliver national-to-local cascading domestic violence infrastructure and services. Mary welcomed the setting up of Cuan, the new DSGSBV State agency in February 2024, which is dedicated to tackling and reducing DSGSBV.

Mapping the Journey

Mary mapped the journey of a woman or a child out of DSGSBV, and the slides showed the complexity for anyone trying to navigate that pathway. The journey out of a coercive relationship or home is structurally, socially and psychologically complex and overwhelming. Coercive control and DSGSBV is a large-scale social problem. This was borne out by the fact that in 2018, 53,627 calls were answered by DV Helplines, with 3,500 women contacting DV services for the first time from March to August 2020 during Covid. In 2021, 3,000 requests could not be met by DV services. In November 2022 (post-Covid), there was a 25% increase in domestic violence files to the DPP. In 2023, there were 54,000 DV calls to Gardaí.

Some of the statistics were shocking:

• 1 in 4 women in Ireland who were in a relationship have been abused by a current or former partner.
• 41% of Irish women know someone in their circle of family or friends who have experienced intimate partner violence.

The effects of coercive control/DSGSBV on a society as a whole are extensive and costly. Domestic violence is often a hidden crime, so it’s very important to publicly discuss it. We thank Mary sincerely for her very insightful presentation. Safe Ireland – Creating Safety for Women and Children

You can re-watch the chat on our YouTube Channel here.