‘Harrowing accounts’: What a new report tells us about the scale of domestic violence in southwest DublinA new report on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard presents a stark picture of many women’s lives in Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard.
I Am Not an Alcoholic: ‘I would like a non-alcoholic Guinness,’ says the man. ‘Do you want a colouring book and crayons as well?’The latest report confirms the fear articulated in that report that DSGBV “disproportionately affects” women in the area, with “a higher frequency of severe incidents”. Underlining the complexity of DSGBV are the women’s experiences of intergenerational trauma, addiction, societal norms and expectations, inadequate responses by State agencies, and barriers to accurate data collection. Many had grown up around domestic violence, were “accustomed” to it and had “grown up not realising their value”, said one support worker.
Emotional abuse tethered women to violent partners. “The abuser’s periodic expressions of love or regret ... create a glimmer of hope for change ... Emotional dependency is further reinforced by the abuser’s the victim/survivor from their support network, making the abuser the central, and often sole, figure in their emotional world,” it found.