Wicklow Safe Haven Launches To Raise Awareness Of Domestic Abuse

A new community based organisation which aims to raise awareness of the unacceptable scourge of domestic abuse has launched in County Wicklow.

Volunteer run, Wicklow Safe Haven also plans to work to raise funds to support the fight against domestic abuse in the county.

Nationally last year there was a 9% increase in the number of cases of domestic abuse reported to An Garda Síochána, according to the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, bringing the total to 61,000.

That represents an average of 167 cases every day across Ireland.

In County Wicklow, 599 people applied for a domestic abuse order in 2023, up from 527 in 2022.

In the first nine months of last year, 408 people had sought these protective orders in the county.

Wicklow Town experienced a dramatic 61% increase in the number of domestic abuse orders sought between 2022 and 2023, jumping from 90 to 145, while Bray saw a 5.9% increase.

Arklow District Court recorded a slight 1.7% decrease between 2022 and 2023.

”These are real lives and it could be someone you know,” said Paul Hennessy, Chairman of Wicklow Safe Haven.

”It could be your sister or your brother, your niece or your nephew, your mother or your father, a close friend or a work colleague. There is no excuse for physical, sexual, emotional, digital or financial abuse, or coercive control, all of which have devastating and long-lasting consequences for individuals and families. We need to break the silence around it.”

Wicklow Safe Haven is seeking the support of other grassroots community organisations across the county to help it with its fundraising and awareness efforts.

Anyone interested in donating can do so online at Wicklow Safe Haven’s iDonate page.

To contact Wicklow Safe Haven or get more information on how you can help, visit WicklowSafeHaven.ie.