The rise in domestic crime attests to the fact that the lockdown period was a tough time for women. It was women, who borne all the after effect of the extra time men spend at home. Within the four walls of the house, children have become silent witnesses to many incidents of brutal torture, rape and attempted murder.
According to the Women’s Aid report, the authorities received a lot of phone calls seeking help from domestic violence.
There was a 71% increase in the visit to the Women’s Aid website. From the end of March to the end of June, the number of visitors to the website increased from 67,187 to 114,576.
The number of calls to the helpline was 43 percent higher than in the same period in 2019 and the number of calls increased from 4,563 to 6,561.
The 2019 Annual Report of Women Aid was also published. Help calls and office visits increased by nine percent. This is up from 19,089 in 2018 to 20,763.
Violence against women and children increased by 16 percent compared to 2018. The numbers increased from 20,722 to 24,049.
Child abuse disclosures also increased by 29 percent, from 3,728 (2018) to 4,791.
Crimes which are unbearable
The report reveals that the domestic violence was not limited to torture. Women at home were subjected to atrocities that were frightening to even hear, both in and out of the lockdown.
Attempts to strangle and burn, forcibly subdue pregnant and postpartum sex opponents, share videos and photos of sex with a partner on social media, are the atrocities that women face right now.
Women’s Aid Report reveals that women are tortured in real and through online as well, they are isolated from family and friends, robbing their legal documents and other valuables, etc.
107 cases in two weeks
According to the report, the women openly revealed that they had experienced massive emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse from their partners. Most of these cases happened during the lockdown period.
The women also complained that there were partners who were constantly observing them and harassing. There were instances where women tried to commit suicide due to the torture from their partners.
According to Garda, there has been a 25 percent increase in help calls from April to May 2020 compared to the previous year. In the last two weeks of May, 107 cases of domestic violence were registered against men.
They were all alone
The report also cites the crisis caused by the unavailability of shelters during the Covid period. The Women’s Helpline contacted last year’s shelters 171 times for women and children, but 84 times the answer was House Full. The Council of Europe points out that there are not enough shelters in Ireland.
Family courts increase the suffering of women and children, the report said. Custody and entry arrangements ordered by family courts were often dangerous.
Not only was it a great threat to the safety of the children and their mothers, but it also allowed the defendants to continue their abuse.
In 2019, it received 508 revelations about abuses by ex-partners. There are more incidents of abuses which happened right under the nose of children. There were also 102 incidents of children being physically and sexually abused.