Dear Editor,
Domestic Violence remains a serious problem in Galway City and County. In 2006, 145 Women experiencing domestic violence were unable to access refuge in Galway city and had to be referred elsewhere, according to COPE's Waterside House statistics. Cope Waterside House recorded 149 admissions for women and 281 admissions for children. A further 350 support and information sessions were provided through the outreach service for women experiencing domestic violence who cannot, or do not need to, use refuge accommodation.

Both national and international research consistently shows an average of one in five women experiencing abuse within an intimate relationship. Given that it is also estimated that as little as 20 per cent of victims experiencing abuse will actually present to services, the overall number of women in abusive relationships may be considerably higher (Crime Council Research 2005 Ireland). Since 1996, over 135 women have been murdered in Ireland, the majority of these by men known to them. Where cases have concluded, almost half were murdered by partners or ex-partners.

While services providing emergency responses to women experiencing violence need to be adequately resourced to do so, overall there is a need for a more coordinated approach to tackle the issue successfully. A woman disclosing domestic violence may come in contact with a range of agencies, including frontline services, the HSE, the Garda?, the courts service as well as the judiciary and housing authorities.

The current system places responsibility on the victims to pursue legal orders, such as Barring and Safety Orders through the courts, yet figures show that the conviction rate for breaches of such orders results in a custodial sentence in less than six per cent of cases. Custody and access hearings are heard in the Family Law courts, while breaches of Protection, Safety and Barring Orders are heard in the criminal court leading to a fragmented approach by the system to the one family. This system does not optimise women and children's safety. The lack of supervised access in cases, where the parents have separated due to domestic violence, often results in women being further harassed through the access visits as well as proving traumatic and stressful for the children involved.

In the UK, there is a move towards the roll out of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. These are models for multi-agency coordination between police, courts and statutory and voluntary sector groups and they place the needs of the victim at the centre of the response. Such innovative responses could point the way ahead here. Zero tolerance from all sectors involved is the only way to give a clear message to offenders that domestic violence will not be tolerated at any level of society.

Yours sincerely,
Wendy Heuston,
COPE Waterside House

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