90% of murders of women linked to domestic abuse

DOMESTIC abuse was the main motive for murder last year – with 90% of all murders of women being connected to violence in the home.

A Garda review of crime found a 399% increase in domestic abuse motivations for sexual offences from 2020 to 2021.

There was a 30% increase in the number of times gardaí were called to the scene of domestic violence during the two years of Covid restrictions – with last year seeing the highest number of recorded incidents of sexual assault in almost a decade.

In the two-year period, 80% of sexual offence victims were women, with 69% being women aged 34 or younger.

The figures were published by gardaí following an analysis of domestic, sexual and genderbased violence. The report was compiled to tackle ‘unacceptable’ acts of violence across Ireland, according to Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan.

Speaking yesterday, he said: ‘By fully exposing these crimes, we can help reduce the prevalence of domestic abuse in our society.’

Sexual offences with a domestic abuse motive increased significantly between 2020 and 2021, accounting for 21% of all sexual offences last year. Gardaí said this is partly due to the introduction of the victim/offender relationship on the Pulse system. The increases are also partly due to increased data recording, and to a rise in the number of people reporting the offences.

While the increase in domestic abuse can also be attributed to Covid restrictions, the rate of recorded offences has continued to rise post-lockdown.

In the first quarter of this year, domestic abuse calls and incidents were 13% higher than in the same period in 2021.

A domestic abuse motive was recorded for 90% of all women who were victims of murder, and for 43% of all women who were subjected to attempted murder.

Male victims, on the other hand, while also experiencing domestic abuse, were proven more likely to experience violence by offenders unknown to them or in incidents not related to domestic abuse.

Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín said: ‘The figures that I have received... are shocking. Every incident of domestic violence is a disaster for the individual and a terrifying experience. While both men and women suffer domestic violence, women are far more likely to suffer repeated and severe forms of abuse, including sexual violence.’