The new government must prioritise the full implementation of the third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.<\/p>\n
Deputy Whitmore made her comments after new figures revealed a 20 per cent rise over the last two years in the number of domestic violence incidents reported to garda\u00ed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is both shocking and shameful that there were 65,000 reported cases of domestic violence last year \u2013 an average of 1,250 every week \u2013 which is further proof that this problem has reached epidemic levels in Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the previous government\u2019s talk of taking a zero-tolerance approach to this issue, we saw very little evidence of this in practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is that services in the sector continue to be overstretched and underfunded, unable to meet increasing demand from women experiencing domestic or sexual violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the new programme for government commits to the full implementation of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, this must be matched by sufficient funding and fast-tracked reform of the courts to make our legal system more victim-centred.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Social Democrats believe that consideration should be given to the appointment of a Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner, with appropriate resources and powers to monitor the implementation of the national strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIreland must also fulfil its obligations under the Istanbul Convention by significantly increasing the number of women\u2019s refuge spaces around the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind the latest garda figures there are tens of thousands of lives shattered by the scourge of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
“While it is regrettable there are so few female voices at the cabinet table, the issue of women’s safety must remain a priority for the new government.”<\/p>\n
January 27, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The new government must prioritise the full implementation of the third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore made her comments after new figures revealed a 20 per cent rise over the last two years in the number of domestic violence incidents reported to garda\u00ed. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[268,7,557,548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jennifer-whitmore","category-press-release","category-sexual-abuse","category-violence-against-women"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n