‘The Epidemic of Gender Based Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic’
Submission to Governmental Inquiry on COVID-19
About Safe Ireland
Safe Ireland National Social Change Agency works to eradicate Domestic, Sex, Gender and Sexuality-Based Violence in Ireland. We have four distinct function:
- Investigate cases and effects of domestic, sex, gender and sexuality-based coercion and violence to engage/advance government strategy, policy, practice and provision in Ireland.
- Survivors: Develop and deliver best frontline refuge, support and community-based services for victim-survivors.
- Services: Support the coordination and development of the SI Network in sustaining skilled community-based pathways out of abuse.
- Sector: Proactively engage with government strategy, policy, practice and provision to enhance civil society and local community response-capabilities.
There are thirty-seven DV affiliate organisations in Safe Ireland’s Network. Each deliver a range of services; national and local crisis helpline, information/advocacy, crisis-refuge and move-on
accommodation, Garda/Court accompaniment, immediate emergency supports/welfare advice adult and child emotional/therapeutic support.
Our core strategic focus is to create meaningful pathways out of coercive control and transform social responses to sex, gender, and sexuality-based violence in all communities.
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly intensified the challenges faced by survivors of domestic,
sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) across Ireland. Lockdown and restrictions on movement meant many individuals were trapped in their homes with their abusers. The pandemic highlighted
how the most dangerous place for a woman is in the home. Domestic violence refuges and frontline services experienced unprecedented demand during the pandemic, while simultaneously grappling
with reduced capacity and fluctuating restrictions due to public health measures. On average, 1,970 women and 411 children received support from a domestic violence service every month during the
first six months of Covid-19.1
Information and Guidance
- In Safe Ireland’s Report Tracking the Shadow Pandemic, we outline the lack of guidance and support from Tusla with regard to changing work practices or health and safety protocols
specifically in relation to DSGBV. - There were initial concerns over the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) provided to DSGBV refuges.2
- DSGBV services initially received information regarding guidelines from HSE Social Inclusion team or local Homeless Services.
Reducing Refuge Spaces - Government guidance meant that refuges had to reduce the number of women/ families in refuge.
- Concerns over managing the spread of the virus in communal accommodation meant that a number of communal refuges closed units. This reduced the number of women and children they could support at a time when there was an all-time high.
- To enable social distancing, services had to implement restrictions on the number of families they could accommodate. In 2020, between March and August 1,351 requests for refuge in Ireland could not be met due to lack of space. That’s an average of 225 a month or 8 requests a day.3
- At the very time that the abuse was increasing, services available to victims were reduced due to lockdown and social distancing measures. This meant that, in effect, services were reduced at a time they were most needed.
The Impact of Lockdown - Lockdown for some women and children, meant literally being locked into abuse. In a survey carried out by Women’s Aid in the UK in June 2020 found that 91.3 per cent of those suffering abuse said that the pandemic had affected their experiences of abuse and over half felt more afraid and felt isolated.4
- Lockdown meant that women were unable to travel to access support services. The 5k radius meant some women feared travelling to a refuge. Safe Ireland found that women reported feeling unable to leave abusive households for fear that they will get into trouble for breaching the radius restriction.5
- The courts were curtailed meaning that women had difficulties with accessing much needed safety/protection/barring orders.6
- Women with children with special needs reported that they were not able to access supports required and in some cases had to allow the abuser back into the house to help with child needs, putting the woman and children at risk.7
- There were difficulties in contacting DSGBV services as there was anxiety about being overheard on the phone while sharing a space with an abuser.8
- Women reported being cut off from support systems including family, friends and regular support services.
- Outreach support services and accompaniment services were initially closed. Child and Youth Services closed meaning that children were with their mothers all the time. If they needed to go to court or attend other necessary appointments, they had to make
alternative arrangements for their children or bring them with them.
Staff Shortages - In order to ensure the continuation of services, services had to reconfigure staff hours/days and some redeployment of staff. For some that left them with a skeleton staff managing many services.
- Many services had to reduce or cancel one or more services due to government restrictions and staffing shortages.
- Services were also impacted by staff off work due to illness or were self-isolating because they had come into contact with people who had COVID.
- The lack of face-to-face support was particularly difficult for refuge residents and new service users.
- There was also a reduced/lack of access to interpreters to support women who needed them.
Move on Accommodation - Services reported being unable to find move-on accommodation for women during the pandemic. While evictions were temporarily suspended, the lack of available accommodation meant that women were having to enter emergency accommodation.
- Each month, an average of 51 women in refuge who were ready to move on were unable to as there was no suitable accommodation available.9
Fundraising - Services had to close charity shops, cancel church gate collections and other fundraising events, so this had impacts on them financially.
- This led to concerns about future loss of income. Reassurance from government in this regard was not forthcoming.
Footnotes
1 Safe Ireland, Tracking the Shadow Pandemic, Summary Report, p.1-2 https://www.safeireland.ie/wpcontent/uploads/Tracking-the-Shadow-Pandemic-Lockdown-2-Report.pdf
2 Safe Ireland, A report on women and children seeking support from Domestic Violence Services during
the first 6 months of Covid -19, November 2020. https://www.safeireland.ie/policy-publications/#dflipdf_8221/1/
3 Safe Ireland, Tracking the Shadow Pandemic Report.
4 Women’s Aid, ‘A perfect storm: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic abuse
survivors and the services supporting them’ (August 2020).
https://www.academia.edu/96602139/A_perfect_storm
5 Safe Ireland, Tracking the Shadow Pandemic Report.
6 Ibid
7 Ibid
8 Ibid
9 Safe Ireland, Tracking the Shadow Pandemic Report.