‘POVERTY FEARS KEEP WOMEN WITH ABUSERS’
FEAR of homelessness and poverty is forcing women to stay in abusive relationships, it has been revealed.
In its annual report yesterday, Women’s Aid said there were 19,089 contacts with its services including the 24-hr helpline.
It also reported more than 20,000 reports of domestic violence against women and children last year.
Even women who had left a violent relationship were still at risk, with 25% attacked by a partner or a former husband.
Women’s Aid director Margaret Martin said: “Many told us because of financial abuse they were being forced to choose between staying in an abusive relationship and facing poverty.
“Financial abuse included partners running up debt in women’s names, women being denied access to the family
Women’s Aid recorded 20,000 reports of violence
finances and women’s salaries or social welfare being controlled.
“Women told us they had been isolated from family and friends, called derogatory names, had their lives and their safety threatened. Some disclosed that they were hit, beaten with weapons, stabbed and cut with knives and strangled. Some women were beaten and strangled while they were pregnant.
“We heard from women that their partners had raped them, coerced them into sex, had prevented access to family planning and some had explicit videos and images made and shared online without their consent.”
The report revealed the charity answered 15,835 calls (44 per day) to their 24hr National Freephone Helpline and also met face-to-face with just over 1,300 women in Dublin last year.