Women’s Aid has reported an unprecedented number of domestic abuse disclosures in 2023, marking the highest figures in the charity’s 50-year history. The annual report reveals an 18 percent increase in cases compared to 2022, totaling 40,048 disclosures involving women and children.
Record-Breaking Disclosures
The charity’s report documented a substantial rise in various forms of abuse:
- Emotional Abuse: 21,974 disclosures
- Physical Abuse: 7,851 disclosures
- Economic Abuse: 4,297 disclosures
- Abuse Against Children: 4,478 disclosures
- Sexual Abuse: 1,448 disclosures
Women’s Aid has expressed deep concern over the significant increases, particularly noting a 74 percent surge in physical violence and an 87 percent rise in economic abuse since the previous year.
The Nature and Impact of Coercive Control
In addition to the Annual Impact Report 2023, Women’s Aid has released research carried out with the pro bono support of Arthur Cox LLP. This research examined the charges and convictions arising from the coercive control offense to date. The Insights Report: Review of the Publicly Reported Enforcement of the Coercive Control Offense scrutinized 11 concluded cases based on publicly available sources. This review provides insights into the nature, impact, and prosecution of coercive control since the enactment of the new offense in 2019.
The findings indicate that coercive control charges are often used alongside other criminal charges to address the comprehensive pattern of abuse rather than isolated incidents.
According to Sarah Benson, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, the evidence from these prosecutions highlights the extensive and damaging range of abuse women endure from their current or former male partners, frequently over long periods. Women’s testimonies reveal the severe impact of coercive control on their lives and those of their children and wider family.
Perpetrators and Methods of Abuse
The vast majority of abusers (86 percent) were current or former male intimate partners. Other perpetrators included men who were not intimate partners (9 percent) and female abusers (5 percent). The methods of abuse reported were varied and severe, including assaults with weapons, constant surveillance and monitoring, relentless put-downs and humiliations, sharing of intimate images online, complete financial control, sexual assault and rape, and threats to the victims’ and their children’s lives.
The impact of such abuse on victims is profound and multifaceted. Women’s Aid described the effects as “chilling,” noting cases of exhaustion and isolation, serious injury and miscarriages, poverty and homelessness, and suicide ideation.
Leadership Response
Ms Benson described the number and nature of disclosures as “utterly appalling” and emphasized that these figures likely represent just a fraction of the actual cases.
“It is shocking that in our 50th year of service to women, we are still receiving record disclosures of domestic abuse,” she said. Benson stressed that the reported numbers are merely the “tip of the iceberg,” with one in four women in Ireland experiencing domestic abuse.
Barriers to Reporting
Ms Benson also highlighted the barriers that prevent many victims from coming forward, such as fear, stigma, and self-blame, along with persistent societal attitudes towards domestic violence. She pointed out that a significant number of victims are isolated and lack the information or confidence to seek help.
“So many victims-survivors lack the information or confidence to contact specialist services, and about one-third will suffer in total isolation, telling nobody what is happening to them,” she said.
Need for Continued Support and Investment
Although there has been increased funding for domestic violence services, Ms Benson indicated that this support is insufficient and originates from a history of neglect. She called for focused coordination and sustained investment from the government to ensure the effective implementation of the Third National Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence Strategy.
“At this very moment, there are many thousands of women and children living in fear of the person who should love, respect, and care for them,” Benson said, urging continued efforts to support victims and address the root causes of domestic abuse.
This report underscores the critical need for ongoing awareness, resources, and systemic change to combat the alarming rise in domestic abuse and support those affected.
Featured image: Domestic abuse has risen in Ireland. Featured image: releon8211 / Adobe Stock.
