Huge increase in number of domestic violence victims being assisted by Longford Women's Link

There has been a huge increase in victims being assisted by Longford Women's Link with 318 women and children being directly supported so far in 2024, a rise of nearly 30% within two years.

The total number of women and children who received help from LWL last year was 271, up by 17% on the 271 victims that received support and 29% higher compared to the 246 women and children assisted in 2022.

LWL provides supports to women and children experiencing domestic violence and they support women and children in Longford and surrounding counties such as Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon, Westmeath and other counties.

Natalie O'Reilly, a Domestic Violence Service Co-Ordinator at LWL stated they have a busier domestic violence service which assists women and children with migrant women and older victims in rural areas on the rise.

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"The figures are increasing ever year, population is increasing and awareness is increasing," she said. "It's a choice, people choose to act this way. Coercive control is the over-arching umbrella, that is the crime being committed whether it's financial abuse, sexual, it's whatever is effective to get the victim to comply, to instill fear into them."

Natalie said abusers will often compile information on their victims and their biggest fears and weaknesses in case they decide to leave and they often try to isolate the women from family and friends.

"The figures are increasing ever year, population is increasing and awareness is increasing,. It cannot be blamed on drink or drugs, these abusers are making a choice,” she added.

Natalie explained that abusers often use 'tactics' on victims such as 'I will kill you, the children. myself' to keep control.
"Absolutely (that is common), it is probably in the top five tactics and another is 'I am going to take the children,” she added.
The centre's provides practical, emotional and psychological assistance with domestic violence support, counselling, support for migrant women and childcare facilities.

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LWL also offers education, training and helps with sourcing legal advice for victims and is involved with lobbying and advocacy at local and national levels on gender equality issues.

The centre has a Domestic Violence (DV) room where the professionals, including Natalie and three other DV specialists and an adolescent psychotherapist, meet families and do an initial 'First needs assessment'.

Natalie said when a woman comes in with her children by herself, with Gardaí or she has been referred in by a GP or a friend they bring her in and give her that 'safe space'.

"We talk about what is happening to distinguish which types of abuse she has been experiencing, not all is physical, there is a lot of psychological, financial, sexual abuse. There can be a combination of three or four different types."

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Natalie said they talk to women about the options open to them in a supportive and non-pressurised way.
She stressed many children suppress a lot of their emotions and it is “very traumatic”.

Natalie explained it can take months but they have an art psychotherapist who uses her arts and crafts skills to engage the kids and adolescents and that can help them to open up.

"We have had some children come here who had gone non-verbal to keep themselves safe or maybe it was the trauma,"

Natalie said. "We also have a highly-skilled experienced psychotherapist that has studied in post-separational abuse and the affects on children. It is a huge area that does not get a lot of coverage but it causes absolute carnage."

Natalie said it's about removing the fear.

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“We find a common tactic that abusers will use that is effective is 'Mum will go to prison if you talk about this' or 'Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) will take you," she said. "It's to keep control basically, to stop them talking about what is happening at home."

Natalie said last year 60% of the victims they supported were migrant women born outside Ireland and they engage with a lot of different ethnic groups with a lot from Eastern Europe and of African-origin.

She praised court services staff Court Clerk Maggie Curley for giving them the opportunity to come in with women and children and walk around the court to familiarise themselves with their surroundings.

"It helps to remove the fear over what to expect," she said. “Stats will tell us that when a woman reaches out for help and there are child protection concerns and Gardaí and the courts are involved her risk of losing her children increases. How should that be?

LWL also has their own crèche at the centre and several available placesfor women who require emergency childcare or may need to visit the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit , a GP, solicitor or the Gardaí.

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The Longford Leader recently reported on a WhatsApp group involving ringleaders in the sex trade and people willing to rent out properties to them.

Natalie said they have assisted some trafficked women, who are sometimes coerced and have ended up working in the sex trade here.

"Longford and Athlone are quite central locations from the ports and the airport and it is an issue and it is a problem," she added.