Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Ireland is experiencing an "epidemic of gender-based violence" as stark new figures revealed the number of women who were killed last year doubled.
New figures released by Women’s Aid on Tuesday also revealed that the number of people contacting its hotline had increased by 16 per cent.
An investigation by the Irish Mirror found that the number of women and girls that were killed in 2022 had doubled compared to 2021.
We have established that some 13 females were victims of homicides in Ireland in 2022.
That is an increase of six femicides from 2021’s toll of seven – and a hike of a massive 85 per cent.
A report published by Women’s Aid backed up these figures on Tuesday, putting the number of women killed at 12 last year.
They also reported that their organisation had received 31,229 contacts last year. This was an increase of 16 per cent in the year.
When these figures were put to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar by The Irish Mirror, he branded them "extremely worrying".
"This year so far, five women have been killed in what was gender-based violence, 12 last year," he explained. "That's far too many. We are experiencing an epidemic of gender-based violence in Ireland. It's very much a Government priority to deal with it.
"[Justice] Minister [Helen] McEntee is really leading on that. It means passing new laws, which we've done, for example, around coercive control and strangulation.
"It is the additional refuge spaces that are now being put in place. It's also setting up a dedicated agency to deal with this issue. It is very much a Government priority and I believe the actions we're taking will make a difference.
"I think there are a number of factors at play. The Government's actions and Government responses are only part of that. But [I] really do want to acknowledge that it's a very serious problem. A lot of women don't feel safe because of the violence that was perpetrated against them.
"Government has a strategy. It's been welcomed by all the groups who work with victims of domestic and gender-based violence. We're determined to get that implemented."
The number of women killed in Ireland so far this year increased to six just last week. An Irish Mirror analysis of all femicides shows there have been 38 since the start of 2019. In 2019, there were six victims. That was the same toll as 2020. There were seven in 2021 and 13 in 2022.
Of the victims, four were aged under 10, while two were aged between 11 and 20. Those aged between 31 and 40 accounted for five deaths, while there were six victims aged between 41 and 50.
Sarah Benson, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, said that the figures released in the report were a "harrowing reminder of the levels of violence and abuse in homes and relationships in Ireland.
"While our figures are shocking, we know that they are only the tip of an enormous iceberg," she said.
"One in four women in Ireland are subjected to domestic abuse. We know that so many women suffer alone, in silence and without specialist support.
"Behind our figures are real women and families whose lives have been devastated by the scourge of male violence. Women who are trying to protect and keep themselves and their children safe in the face of unrelenting pressures.
"Last year, women told us that their partners or ex-partners were subjecting them to a broad and brutal pattern of abuse. 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.
"The impacts on these women were chilling and ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness; to being brutalised and wounded, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity and suicide ideation, hypervigilance; and homelessness."
The Irish Mirror is currently running a campaign called 'Stop The Violence' in response to rising rates of domestic violence and rise in killings of women.
READ NEXT:
- Gardaí to start 'immediately' procuring body cams without facial recognition technology
- What is the Government's Consultative Forum on International Security Policy?
For the latest analysis and headlines, sign up to our free Politics newsletter
