Domestic violence services prepare for spike in incidents over holiday period

Many domestic violence services have put on extra counsellors in preparation for an expected upsurge in people seeking to leave abusive relationships over the holiday period.

The incidents of family and sexual violence escalate over Christmas and New Year, and it’s often the busiest time of the year for shelters and domestic abuse helplines. Financial pressures, increased time spent with family and alcohol consumption all play a role in the higher than usual number of cases of domestic violence.

“Christmas is a prime time for people who are into power and control to dominate,” said Karen Willis, chief executive officer of Rape and Domestic Violence Services, Australia. Willis said perpetrators use “psychological warfare” to “undermine and ridicule” the hard work their partners had put into producing the perfect family gathering.
She also notes that disgruntled parents whose access to children is cut off before the holidays become “resentful and angry” at this time of year, making it a dangerous time of year for estranged partners.

Some shelters also face increased pressures to take on the overflow from shelters that are closed or full.

“It is important that we get a public awareness of domestic violence. The more we’re able to have a conversation around this, the better”.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre releases annual report

‘Disturbing’ increase in sexual violence.

Increasing levels of violence are accompanying rape, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has said, and “particularly concerning” was the way social media is being used to film and distribute some assaults.

Angela McCarthy, DRCC’s head of clinical services, speaking at the publication of the centre’s annual report in September, said there had been a “disturbing increase in sexual violence” reported last year.

She said 27% of all incidents of adult rape or sexual assault disclosed in therapy sessions included additional violence, predominantly physical abuse, psychological abuse and harassment or intimidation. Some 21% of all incidents of childhood sexual abuse were accompanied by additional violence, mainly psychological and physical abuse.

“Experienced therapists and counsellors have been very shocked at some of the violence. Age seems to be an issue, with younger people being raped by gangs while others are watching and sometimes filming the assaults.”

Social media was increasingly being used as a second form of abuse, with victims further violated by having a video of the ordeal distributed and potentially witnessed by people who were not present.

“What makes it worse is that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. It is particularly concerning.”

Study needed
It underlined the need for a thorough study of the prevalence and type of sexual violence in Ireland in 2014, along the lines of the landmark Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (Savi) report published in 2002, she said.

The call for “a second Savi” was repeated by chief executive Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, who said helpline staff last year processed the highest number of calls since 2009. There were 3,928 first-time callers and the number of repeat contacts was 4,955 – the highest since 2004 and a 7% increase on 2012. Some 78% were from females and 22% from males.

Child sexual abuse
Some 44% of calls related to child sexual abuse and 42% to adult rape. 9% related to adult sexual assault – representing an increase of 21% on the previous year, 2% to ritual abuse, 0.9% to sexual harassment, 0.5% to suspected abuse, 0.3% to trafficking, and, 0.1% to under-13 sexualised behaviour.

The busiest month last year was January, when there were 477 calls and the busiest hour on average was between 11am and noon, with more than 800 calls during this hour last year.

Some 72% of calls came from Dublin and 28% from 12 other counties. Callers were most likely to be aged 30 to 39 (25% of callers), followed by 40 to 49 years (23%) and then 24 to 29 years (15.4%).

The report was published September 2 by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland, James Reilly. His department has, since January, been responsible for funding sexual and domestic violence services.

Ms O’Malley-Dunlop appealed to him to restore funding to the DRCC which has seen an almost 30% cut since 2008. She said DRCC had to make three people – including two therapists – voluntarily redundant this year just as services were in greater demand than ever.

Pointing to a recent Economic and Social Research Institute study which set out the long-term costs of childhood sexual abuse both to the victims and society, she said: “Many studies around the world tell us that when the emotional and psychological needs are met their physical and overall wellbeing improves which impacts positively on the health and economic wellbeing of that society.”

Sources: DRCC, Savi.