I concur with the comments of previous speakers on the epidemic of suicide, but I would like to refer to another epidemic in our society, that of gender-based violence. This Friday women around the world are, for the first time, being asked to go on strike or wear black as part of an international day of action against violence perpetrated against women. One in three women in the world will in her lifetime have experienced being beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused. Safe Ireland estimates that one in four Irish women has experienced physical and sexual violence by a male partner or non-partner since the age of 15 years. One in three has experienced psychological violence, which can also be extremely difficult. At what is meant to be a special time in a woman's life, the Rotunda Hospital estimates that one in eight pregnant women experiences violence. If 25% of all violent crimes involved a man assaulting his wife or a partner or if this was gangland crime, it would be shouted from the rooftops and there would be screaming headlines, but this issue is barely spoken about in schools or workplaces. How much of a priority is it for the Government? How much does it care about the issue of domestic violence and violence against women? Based on the evidence, it does not rate very highly.
The question is often asked, "Why does she stay?" What can a woman expect if she tries to escape a violent relationship in Enda Kenny's Ireland? First, she may not be lucky enough to even get through on the telephone to one of the helplines because the Government has systematically cut funding for organisations such as Women's Aid. If she seeks refuge, she will probably become one of 6,000, the number of women who were turned away from refuges last year, amounting to 16 every day. Does the Taoiseach know what happens to them? That is a jump of 1,000 on the figure for the previous year, but the Minister responsible for housing is only promising to provide eight refuge spaces next year. If a woman needs to move on from a refuge, there is no housing available because of the housing crisis that has been allowed to fester. The domestic violence charity Sonas told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing and Homelessness that many women were staying in the home to be abused rather than risk homelessness. If a woman tries to obtain a safety order, she will hit a wall as the waiting time for a hearing at Dolphin House is 20 weeks and there are no emergency barring orders granted when a court is not in session. The Government has increased free legal aid fees from €50 to €130 since 2013 alone.
In a "Prime Time" special last night we saw the level of violence against women. Male violence is a product of centuries of patriarchal culture and I am not asking the Taoiseach to solve it in one day. Will he specifically agree to increase the number of refuge spaces to the European norm of one per 10,000 people? Will he agree to provide rent allowance for any woman fleeing domestic violence? Will he stop the cuts for the rape crisis centres, Women's Aid and other services and instead invest properly in them? Will he also agree to the legislative changes we need? Will he drop the fees for any woman who is seeking a protection order?
