8,000 individual women and more than 3,000 children received support from domestic violence services last year.

That is the figure contained in the latest report from Safe Ireland and represents a 56% increase in the number of women accessing domestic violence support services in Ireland since 2007.

The annual report for last year shows that between 2010 and 2011 alone there was a 15% jump in demand for services.

The organisation represents 40 frontline domestic violence services in this country.

Last year these services answered 42,000 helpline calls and nearly 3,000 women were turned away from refuges that were already full-up.

Campaign to focus on abusers

The launch of their 'Man Up' campaign also takes place later today.

The body says that this will for the first time switch focus from the needs of the women to the actions of the men who abuse.

Sharon O'Halloran is director of Safe Ireland.

She says domestic violence services are being stretched to capacity and that the figures are particularly startling when budget cuts are taken into account.