TEARMANN EXPECTS SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS OVER HOLIDAY PERIOD

17 December 2021 No Comments by The Northern Standard

JPC told of first steps to provide crisis accommodation in Co Monaghan

Siobhán McKenna of the Monaghanbased Tearmann Domestic Abuse Service told Tuesday’s meeting of the Co Monaghan Joint Policing Committee that her organisation anticipated a rise in incidents of domestic violence over the coming Christmas and New Year holiday period. A debate on domestic violence, described as a national “epidemic” by Ms McKenna, heard repeated reassurances to victims that support was on hand for them in the local community from the Gardaí, the local authority, and local advice, advocacy and aid groups. The meeting was also told of early steps being taken by Monaghan Co Council in conjunction with Tearmann to provide crisis accommodation for domestic violence sufferers in the county.

Ms McKenna began her address to the meeting by acknowledging the local authority and community involvement in the recent 16 days of action for the Orange the World campaign against domestic violence, particularly the work done by Monaghan Co Council Community Development Officer Carol Lambe in co-ordinating the different activities. It had been a few years since she had spoken to the JPC on domestic violence and there had been a few legislative changes since then, Ms McKenna noted. She believed the coercive control legislation that had been introduced would make a significant difference to the response of the relevant authorities to the problem.

“We no longer see domestic violence as just a punch or a black eye – it is all the emotional dimensions that go with it,” she stated. She explained that Tearmann provided services for women who were victims of domestic violence but they also acknowledged that men were victims. Tearmann provided as much support to men as they could although there were other organisations working…

Comments are closed.