HISTORY dv

Up until the early 70's the family law statutes in Ireland dated from the Victorian times, when married women were afforded little legal recognition. Domestic violence was a completely hidden crime - nobody spoke about it, from the women who experienced it, to the public, to the media. If a woman was subjected to domestic violence, there was nowhere to go and no laws to protect her.

Into this situation, came Women's Aid. Set up as a service provider, it concentrated all its energies on providing badly needed safe space to women and children who were frightened and in danger and who had nobody else to turn to.

Gradually, refuges became set up around the country, staffed and funded by voluntary organisations like Women's Aid. In the 1980's the rationalisation of the refuge service took place, and the Irish State began to fund refuges, which gave Women's Aid leaders the time and space to become advocates for political reform.

Women's Aid began to split their energies between providing badly needed services for battered women and their children, and working towards political change. The services to women remained at the centre of the work, which informed and gave the organisation the "front line" expertise, which it used to complement its professional research, lobbying and campaigning work. The organisation today reflects this integration of providing services directly to women as well as campaigning for political reform.

Prior to 1976, women seeking protection from her husband's violence could only bring charges under Victorian Law, the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.

1976 - Barring Orders introduced for the first time - under the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and children) 1976. A violent husband was prevented from entering the house for three months. Very ineffective implementation of the law, and where a husband breached it, the wife had to go to court again; in the meantime she had no protection.

1981 - Family Law (Protection of Spouses and children) 1981 - protection order introduced, - a court order restraining a man from abusing/threatening his wife during the interim period before a Barring Order was obtained.

The situation was improved around Barring orders, with duration increasing from 3 to 12 months.

It became a criminal offence to breach a barring order and police were given power of arrest without a warrant
At same time, Gardai were instructed to overcome traditional reticence about becoming involved in rows between husbands and wives

In the 1980's state began to provide funding and professional staff for Dublin refuge service through EHB, and by 1985, 12 groups located in the main urban centres in the country were receiving a modest amount of financial support from state.

1986 - Funding of a common research project between Women's Aid, Dublin Boys and Girls Welfare Society, Cheshire, Northern Ireland and Women's Aid, Belfast - survey of attitudes towards violence in the family

In 1991- Women's Aid began seeking reforms in 3 major areas

Police be given powers of arrest when called to domestic violence disputes

Cohabitees to be included

Improvement in legal aid scheme

Also, in 1991, Women's Aid begin training Garda Recruits on how to respond to domestic violence situations

In 1993, research by Women's Aid and St. James' Hospital. This was one of the first studies to look at the identification of and response to women who attend Accident & Emergency departments as a result of domestic violence injuries. This research showed the nature of the violence inflicted (attempted strangulation, sexual assault, burns/scalds, loss of consciousness and fractures), the fact that many women were prevented from seeking medical attention for some time by the abuser and that for many women, the injury which brought them to the hospital was not an isolated incident, but part of a long history of domestic violence.

In 1993, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit (DVSAIU) of the Garda Síochána was set up.

In 1994, the Gardaí introduced the Garda Síochána Policy on Domestic Violence Intervention.

1994, Silent No More was published by Women's Aid. Research that documented the experience and support needs of women who have left abusive relationships.

In 1995, Women's Aid published Making the Links the first Irish research into the prevalence and nature of domestic violence. It showed that almost 1 in 5 (18%) of women had experienced abuse by a current or former partner. It also showed that the main two reasons why did not leave were economic dependence and having nowhere else to go. 64% of women who had experienced violence said their children had witnessed the violence.

1995 - Women's Aid's high impact "Flowers, Chocolates and Multiple Bruising" Campaign

Domestic Violence Act 1996 Strengthening powers of arrest of police authorities in domestic violence incidents

Extending law to give cohabitees protection from violent partner and parents protection from violent children over 18

Making safety orders available as an alternative to barring orders

Providing health boards with powers to apply for Protection order on behalf of adult/ child victims of domestic violence

Safety order could last for up to 5 years

Barring order could last for up to 3 years

1999 - Women's Aid publish research Safety and Sanctions into the monitoring of the 1996 Domestic Violence Act. The research showed that women accessing the legal system experience high levels of violence. The grounds cited in 50%-60% of civil applications involved physical violence. The grounds included long histories of repeated violence, physical injury, threats to kill and violence during pregnancy. The sanctions for abusers were found to be limited and ineffective, with only an average of 3% of offenders receiving a sentence when breaching a court order.