Victims of violence worried about services in Cork during restrictions 

A LEADING campaigner has moved to allay concerns that services for women affected by violence will be suspended during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mary Crilly, founder of the Sexual Violence Centre Cork, said they have received an increased volume of calls in recent days from women who wanted reassurance the service would continue.

“Clients who we see regularly have a huge fear that we will be gone. We are seeing an increase in calls from people looking to know we are here, people looking for information,” she said.

The campaigner warned that the restrictions introduced to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak would have an impact on women affected by violence who couldn’t leave their homes, describing the current period as a “perpetrator’s paradise”.

While it is not expected that as many women will be trafficked into Ireland in the coming weeks due to travel restrictions, Ms Crilly said women who have been trafficked here will continue to be affected also.

Ms Crilly stressed that while the courts may not be running as usual, and that interim barring orders may not be happening, gardaí are continuing their work, and will take any issues seriously.

She also said services for victims of sexual and domestic violence are included in the list of essential services and said that Sexual Violence Centre Cork’s phonelines remain manned as usual on 1800 496 496 in addition to the textline on 087 1533393 and social media channels.