Cork domestic, sexual and gender-based violence support services to avail of extra funds

Three Cork services are to avail of additional funding following the announcement by Justice Minister Helen McEntee of more investment into domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence services.

An extra €6.3m funding is being provided this year to established service providers, including €2.5m to address critical needs and emerging demands for domestic violence services, €1.3m to address critical needs and emerging demands for sexual violence services, and €2.5m for refuge and safe home development.

More than €5.4m of this funding is being allocated immediately, with the remainder assigned to support projects that will deliver refuge places throughout the year.

Evaluation 

Some 43 organisations were deemed successful following an evaluation process, which was conducted by Tusla in collaboration with the Department of Justice.

Good Shepherd Cork is to receive €77,000, One Stop Shop Cork will receive €36,030, and Sexual Violence Centre Cork will receive €70,000 of this funding.

The director and founder of Sexual Violence Centre Cork, Mary Crilly, told The Echo: “Realistically, our services haven’t had an increase in quite a long time.”

She explained that they had applied for funding for adolescent councillors in September, and that the €70,000 will cover one full-time and two part-time positions.

Support

Their service provides support to anyone who is a victim of rape or sexual assault, adult survivors of child sexual abuse, and those experiencing sexual harassment or domestic violence.

Ms Crilly said: “This additional funding means we can see more people, so I would encourage people to contact us as they won’t be waiting that long to be seen.”

However, she explained: “Our centre is 41 years old this year, and we don’t know year to year what our funding is going to be.

“It would be great to make a five- year or even a three-year plan, because every year we are spending a lot of time filling out forms for funding. We spend so much time just doing applications.

“Especially now, there is an increase in people coming forward — though we don’t think there’s an increase in sexual violence in Ireland.

“There’s always been one in five girls being raped, one in four women victims of domestic abuse, and one in four children sexually abused,” she said, explaining that though the increased reporting is a positive, it was more important than ever to have consistent funding to ensure supports are available.

Ms McEntee said that the additional funding “is a testament to this Government’s steadfast commitment to tackling domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, and to supporting the services on the frontline”.

“We know more people are seeking help from domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence services, and we are determined to ensure that the necessary supports and staffing is there to meet the demands across the country, including for young people and in rural areas,” she said.