Housing fears causing women to stay in abusive relationships, says Cork domestic violence service 

Women are staying in abusive relationships due to fear of ending up in emergency accommodation, says a Cork domestic violence service that has increased its refuge capacity by 50% since the pandemic.

Applications for domestic-violence orders in Cork increased from 169 a month in 2022 to 195 a month in 2023 and 200 a month last year.

Mary Cullinane, manager of Cuanlee Refuge Cork, said: “I would put some of that increase down to the fact that we’re encouraging people who have their own joint property with a partner to apply for orders, rather than make themselves long-term homeless.

“With the housing crisis, after they leave a refuge, chances are they will be moving into homeless services, which they could be in for over a year.”

“We employ a court accompaniment worker who helps with statements for court, and our organisation works to encourage people not to displace themselves, because often a mum and children are displaced having done nothing wrong, leaving one person in a house.”

Nowhere to go

Ms Cullinane said there are women staying in abusive relationships because they won’t have anywhere to go if they leave.

“They don’t want to end up in homeless services, that’s the reality, and it’s part of why we are encouraging people to go for these orders,” she said. “Having said that, there will be cases where it may not be safe to return to the property at all. It’s about sitting with women, listening and adapting to suit their safety.

“Advice we give people coming into the service includes that the time between applying for an order and getting it can be a very dangerous time for women or families [and] we would encourage them to use a refuge for that interim period, until the order is enforced by gardaí.”

Increase in demand 

Ms Cullinane added that they have definitely seen an increase in demand for their service.

“We’ve increased our capacity by over 50% since covid. Originally, we only had the refuge which could accommodate six families, at present we also have six stand-alone apartments in another area in Cork,” she said.

“We could have filled the refuge again last week.

“We know Cork is a priority area for new refuges so we don’t want to see delays, they have identified a need for more refuge space so we want the Government to get that done and not be sitting on it another two years, and to see ongoing engagement.”

She added that as well as refuge services, Cuanlee has a huge outreach programme, and that women who may not be ready for refuge services can still speak with an outreach worker for support.

She encouraged anyone who is in doubt about their relationship to get in touch.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.