An ad campaign addressing domestic violence in the context of COVID-19 measures gets underway today, and several agencies have received extra funding.

Women’s Aid has been granted €63,000 to extend the support and referral service (SRS), and the high-risk support project.

The Rape Crisis Centre Network Ireland received €50,000 to support the work of local centres in relation to the provision of a confidential, data-compliant service, and to manage information flows on advice and guidance to and from front-line trauma-support workers.

Ruhama has received €8,000 for additional support packs for women seeking to exit prostitution. 

Victims being prioritised

And the Men’s Development Network will get up to €39,340 for an extension of the male advice line, extra telephone support for the Men Ending Domestic Violence programme, and to deliver a promotional campaign.

The ad campaign seeks to reassure victims that services are ‘still here’, and that victims are being prioritised.

The ads were developed by the Department of Justice and Equality, together with frontline service providers.

Radio ads will air today (Wednesday), while the TV ads will air from tomorrow (Thursday).

The ads depict domestic abuse in the current climate.

Scenarios

Justice and Equality minister Charlie Flanagan said: “We would all like if these [ad] scenarios were fictitious or exaggerated but. sadly, they aren’t. They conjure up a strong sense of the victims feeling trapped. The very place we have all been sent for safety because of COVID-19 – ‘home’ – is anything but safe for some people, and these ads recognise that.

“However, it is vital that victims realise that services are still there, and the law is on their side,” he said.

Minister of State David Stanton said he hoped that the ads would serve as a reminder to check in on any friends or relations about whom there were concerns.

Rigours of the law

Minister Flanagan said: “I also want to say, unequivocally, to all abusers that the rigours of the law are also ‘still here’. There is nowhere for perpetrators to hide.

“Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has made the point on a number of occasions recently that gardaí are prioritising domestic abuse.  The same is the case for the entire civil and criminal justice system.

“We stand together with our NGO partners in our support for victims of domestic and sexual violence during this difficult period.”

The department has provided an additional allocation of over €160,000 to community and voluntary groups to support their work, and is also funding the making and airing of the ads.

Website

Information on services and supports for victims is available on a new website www.stillhere.ie.

The measures are a partnership between:

• Department of Justice and Equality,
• Department of Children and Youth Affairs,
• An Garda Síochána,
• Tusla,
• The Courts Service,
• Legal Aid Board,
• Women’s Aid,
• National Women’s Council of Ireland,
• Safe Ireland,
• Dublin Rape Crisis Centre,
• Rape Crisis Network Ireland, and
• Men’s Development Network.

In an emergency, any person can call An Garda Síochána on 999 or 112.

Helplines and other resources:

• Legal Aid Board helpline 1890 615 200 or 01 646 9600,
• Women’s Aid free-phone helpline 1800 341 900,
• Male Domestic Abuse advice line 1800 816 588,
• Rape Crisis Centre national helpline 1800 77 8888,
• Men’s Aid Ireland 01 554 3811.