Women's Aid is reporting the highest numbers of domestic abuse disclosures in its 50-year-history.
The charity's annual report for 2023 shows 40,048 disclosures of abuse against women and children.
That is an 18% increase on the previous year.
The abuse of women included emotional abuse, physical violence, sexual abuse and economic control.
Women's Aid said there was also an "alarming increase" in both physical violence (up 74%) and economic abuse (up 87%) compared to the previous year.
"The impacts on these women were chilling and ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness to serious injury, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity and suicide ideation, hypervigilance and homelessness," the charity said.
2023 key statistics:
- 28,638 contacts with Women’s Aid, including
- 20,891 contacts with the 24hr National Freephone Helpline (including calls, messages, and emails)
- 7,747 contacts with Face-to-Face Support Services (including one-to-one support, court accompaniments, drop-in visits, HRSP (High Risk Support Project) support sessions)
- 23,329 referrals, provision of information and/or advocacy by support workers
- 4,112 hours (about five and a half months) of Helpline talk time.
- 40,048 disclosures of domestic abuse, including
- 35,570 disclosures of abuse against women, including
- 1,448 disclosures of sexual abuse
- 21,974 disclosures of emotional abuse
- 7,851 disclosures of physical abuse
- 4,297 disclosures of economic abuse
- 4,478 disclosures of abuse against children
Women's Aid CEO Sarah Benson said there are likely many more women out there who did not come forward.
"The number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to our frontline services is utterly appalling," she said.
"However this is just the tip of the iceberg.
"One-in-four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and there are also so many children, families and whole communities also impacted.
"Fear, stigma, and self-blame due to the impact of the abuse - but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence prevent victims from coming forward."
'Suffering in isolation'
Ms Benson said many victims lack the information or confidence to contact specialist services.
"About one-third will suffer in total isolation, telling nobody what is happening to them," she said.
"We still have so much work to do to break this silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve.
"What we hear in our national and regional services is replicated across Ireland in local domestic abuse refuges and organisations".
Later today the charity is also releasing research which examines the charges and convictions arising from the offence of coercive control to date.
Anyone affected by issues raised in this article can contact the Women's Aid 24h National Freephone Helpline on 1800-341-900
