The first report of the national steering committee on violence against women was published on Sunday, 7 March 1999 and it charts the progress made on the implementation of the recommend ations of the task force on violence against women.
Along with the establishment of the national steering committee, which was a priority recommendation of the task force, eight regional committees have been established and their remit is to provide a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and cohesive response to women experiencing violence.
The national steering committee also launched an awareness campaign which will be developed over the coming year which aims to highlight a number of issues. The focus of the campaign will be to support victims by reiterating that they should no longer suffer in silence and to inform the perpetrators that violence is a crime and it must stop. The campaign will also aim to create a wider public debate on the issue which it is hoped will encourage society generally to play a greater role in discouraging this form of violence.
There are other positive developments such as the development of a computerised bed space bureau which will identify for a victim the available space within refuges. The national steering committee is also examining the introduction of a single contact helpline number for women in crisis. The aim of the helpline is to facilitate easier access to services.
As the Deputy may be aware, following on from the publication of the discussion paper on the law and sexual offences, where the Department invited submissions from interested parties, the Minister recently received approval from Government to publish a Bill which will allow for separate legal representation for rape victims, in limited circumstances and to provide for a register of sex offenders.
In dealing with the perpetrators of violence against women, funding has been made available for a community based pilot project being undertaken by the Cork Domestic Violence Project and the Probation and Welfare Service. Funding is also being provided for a pilot project men's helpline which aims to reach out to men who may be abusive or violent within a relationship.
The Deputy will appreciate it is difficult to cover all the progress which has been made. Copies of the report are being circulated in the House and in its appendices, the Deputy will find the recommendations from the taskforce and the replies the national steering committee received from the various Government Departments as regards progress in the first year of the steering committee.