This needs to stop.
New figures released by Women's Aid, the organisation providing support for women who are experiencing domestic violence, highlights the shocking amount of women in Ireland who have died violently since 1996.
Over the last twenty years 209 women have died violently and of that amount 131 (63%) were killed in their own homes.
Over half of the cases which were resolved in court found that the women were murdered by a partner or an ex partner.
Another 33% of women were killed by someone they knew like a brother, son, neighbour or acquaintance. Altogether 87% of women were killed by someone known to them.
16 children were killed alongside their mothers.
The figures were released in conjuction with the launch of Women's Aid
Behind Closed Doors: Femicide Watch 1996 – 2016.
Margaret Martin, Director of Women’s Aid says:
“Domestic violence kills women. It kills children too. In 2015 we heard over 22,000 disclosures of abuse of women and children. Every day on the Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline we hear from women who live on a knife edge of fear and it would be wrong to underestimate the scale and impact of violence against women.
Homicide is the ultimate act of domestic violence. Last year there were 970 threats to kill women, children and family members disclosed to Women’s Aid. There were 579 additional disclosures of assaults with weapons, threats with weapons and being strangled and smothered.”
