40,048 disclosures of domestic abuse marks an 18% increase on previous year’s figures and the highest in Women’s Aid’s 50-year history. Reports of physical violence rose by 74%, and economic abuse by 87%.

Women’s Aid, a national organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, today revealed that it has recorded the highest level of disclosures of domestic abuse in its 50-year history. 

The Women’s Aid Annual Impact Report 2023 outlines 40,048 disclosures with its National Freephone Helpline and Regional Face-to-Face services during 28,638 contacts last year. 

This represents an 18% increase on the previous year and the highest ever recorded by the organisation.

 Women reported assaults with weapons, constant surveillance, and monitoring, relentless put downs and humiliations, the taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with theirs or their children’s lives. 

Impact of abuse

The impacts on these women were chilling and ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness to serious injury, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity and suicide ideation, hypervigilance, and homelessness.

Sarah Benson, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Women’s Aid says: “The number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to our frontline services is utterly appalling. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One in four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and there are also so many children, families and whole communities also impacted. 

“Fear, stigma, and self-blame due to the impact of the abuse – but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence prevent victims from coming forward.  So many victims-survivors lack the information or confidence to contact specialist services, and about one third will suffer in total isolation, telling nobody what is happening to them. We still have so much work to do to break this silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve. What we hear in our national and regional services is replicated across Ireland in local domestic abuse refuges and organisations.” 

Ms. Benson continued: “Behind our harrowing statistics there are strong, resilient women who have taken a courageous step to share their story to our frontline services. We know that so many more women suffer alone, in silence and without specialist support.”

Coercive Control

The majority of the women disclosed that they were being subjected to and threatened with multiple forms of abuse at the same time, which constitutes coercive control by a current or former male intimate partner. 

According to Women’s Aid, coercive control is “a persistent pattern of controlling, coercive and threatening behaviour including all or some forms of domestic abuse (emotional, physical, economic, sexual including threats) with the most devastating outcome being the loss of life”.

In addition to the Annual Impact Report 2023, Women’s Aid is also releasing research carried out with the pro bono support of Arthur Cox LLP which examines the charges and convictions arising from coercive control since the enactment of the new offence in 2019. 

“The evidence presented to prove coercive control in the coercive control prosecutions shines a light on the horrendous range of abuse suffered by women at the hands of their current or former male intimate partners, often over lengthy periods. The testimony and comments by women powerfully show the harm and negative impact of coercive control on their lives, their children’s lives and the lives of their wider family and friends,” explained Ms Benson. 

She continued: “In most of the cases included in this report, there is a strong assertion of the importance for women of being believed and supported throughout every stage of the legal process, particularly by specialist services and members of An Garda Síochána. It is important to remember that there are many cases where acute coercive control may not include physical violence but the impact on victims-survivors is nonetheless completely devastating.”

Zero Tolerance

Ms Benson added that Ireland needs to be  “a society with zero tolerance of domestic abuse”, but to do so requires “ champions in our society to end abuse”.

 “In government, in civil society, but also in our workplaces, communities, schools and homes. Only by changing our attitudes to male violence against women can we create an Ireland where women can feel safe and supported, now and in the future.”

Ms Benson pointed out that there have been many positive developments during Women’s Aid’s 50 years in operation, but noted that the organisation and society now face new challenges such as the use of the internet as a tool of abuse. 

She concluded: “The government is in year three of the Third National Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence Strategy, which is structured around the four key components that will help truly eradicate male violence against women: prevention, protection, prosecution, and policy co-ordination. 

“We recognise and welcome the establishment of CUAN – the dedicated Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency, the much-needed plans to improve to the family law system, the reviewing of school curriculum to include reference to consent and healthy relationships, the introduction of stalking and non-fatal strangulation legislation and the provision of statutory paid domestic violence leave for employees. 

“There have been increased resources for vital specialist domestic violence services, but it must be acknowledged that this is coming from a baseline of historic neglect. This is all excellent progress, but there is still much to be done to ensure correct implementation and enforcement of all these measures. It will require focus, co-ordination and – crucially – continued investment from Government to see the ambitions of the Strategy fully implemented.” 

Domestic abuse statistics contained in the 2023 report: 

  • 1,448 disclosures of sexual abuse
  • 21,974 disclosures of emotional abuse
  • 7,851 disclosures of physical abuse
  • 4,297 disclosures of economic abuse 
  • 4,478 disclosures of abuse against children
  • 9 women lost their lives in violence circumstances in 2023. 
  • 86% were abused by a current or former male intimate partner. An additional 9% of women were abused by a man who was not an intimate partner or ex-partner. 5% of women disclosed abuse by a female abuser. 
  • Last year, 2,603 women in contact with the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline disclosed that they had contacted An Garda Síochána because of domestic abuse. 52% found the Gardaí helpful, while 48% found the Gardaí unhelpful. 
  • 1,068 women in contact with the National Freephone Helpline in 2023 said that they had applied for a Domestic Violence Order through the Family Law System. Most orders were granted (87%). 52% found the Family Law System ‘good/helpful/understanding’, while 48% noted their experience as ‘bad’.