Why women who face violence need our help

THERE is a major health risk stalking our country. It will affect around 10 per cent of the population.

A large number of those people will require hospitalisation, some might die. Most of those affected will suffer for the rest of their lives, in many cases their children too will be affected.

What is this strange illness that affects so many people and what can we do about it? It is quite simply violence against women.

The shocking fact is that one in five women experience violence at some stage of their lives.

That violence takes many forms - rape, sexual assault and also assaults in personal relationships which can be physical, sexual or psychological.

A recent European Union-sponsored survey showed that 97 per cent of Irish people knew of the issue of violence against women.

And 80 per cent of Irish people thought it was fairly common. This is compared with 63 per cent of Finns and 48 per cent of Danes.

Violence against women knows no economic or social boundaries. It can affect families, friends and neighbours.

As a result there is a need to establish a responsive service for those who have found the courage to come forward and seek help.

It can take years for women in, what are abusive relationships, to come forward and seek that help.

Fear can paralyse women seeking to break from that relationship, women seeking to help themselves, women seeking to help their children.

It is imperative that accurate information on the services available at that point - when women seek and need help - is available.

Not knowing where to turn to next - whether the service required is a place of refuge, or counselling or financial and legal advice - can impede women from breaking out of violent relationships and reporting heinous physical and sexual crimes.

In December 1997 the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women was established and given the task of providing a multi- agency multi-disciplinary and cohesive response to women experiencing violence.

We are all too aware of the importance of information and knowledge in today's world.

In responding to the needs of victims of violence, we need to be able to open many doors to provide the appropriate response.

I want to ensure that this issue is not seen as a "woman's issue", but one for society as a whole.

Being a victim can be a very lonely existence and has many repercussions, loss of self esteem, loss of confidence and fear of rejection.

For many reasons a woman who has experienced violence, especially that which occurs in her own home, may remain on in the relationship because of a lock of knowledge as to the help and advice which is available.

There are two ways to ensure that these victims of violence are able to access the best possible care.

The first is to let women know what services are available and where to contact them. Simplicity must be the key - because it will be a big step for a victim to reach out for help.

It is therefore vital that the information is available and accurate.

It may be the only call the victim makes for help - and we cannot fail that person. Last week we published a national directory which will make a significant difference to women affected by violence.

Contained in its 400 pages are all frontline services which are established specifically to address the needs of women who have experienced violence.

The directory also contains a list of statutory services in the areas of health, law, legal services and psychological services and the auxiliary services which address violence.

The directory is a major step in streamlining the services available and which would be made available to all those working with women who experience violence, including the Garda, Rape Crisis centres and refuges, outreach services,doctors and accident and emergency staff in hospitals.

The next step, which we intend to undertake shortly, will be to provide a single dedicated helpline for women who are victims of violence, or who are threatened with violence.

The helpline will bring together all the services which currently offer a phone-in service on one central number.

I want every woman in the country to know that number when the service is set up and we will be working to ensure that help is just a phone call away.

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