Over 41,000 Women Reported Abuse To Women’s Aid In 2024
Over 41,000 Women Reported Abuse To Women’s Aid In 2024
Text: Izzy Copestake
That’s the highest figure ever recorded.
Last year marked a devastating milestone in Ireland: more women than ever before turned to Women’s Aid to disclose domestic abuse. In its 50-year history, the organisation has never received as many reports of abuse, over 41,000 women came forward about violence from a current or former partner, and more than 5,000 disclosed the abuse of children.
The scale and severity of the violence were stark. The 2024 figures, up 17% from the previous year, detailed harrowing experiences, assaults with weapons, coercive control, surveillance, sexual violence, financial entrapment, and threats to women’s and children’s lives. Tragically, five women were killed in violent circumstances in 2024 alone, a number that serves as a grim reminder of the ultimate cost of unchecked abuse.
“Fear, stigma and the debilitating impact of the abuse itself, but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence, prevent victims from coming forward,” says Women’s Aid chief executive Sarah Benson. Benson also highlighted that this is an issue men should be tackling, going on to say that men should “lead as allies in prevention of male violence”.
Women’s Aid has also raised serious concerns about the way An Garda Síochána is responding to the growing crisis of domestic violence. Despite record numbers of contacts, over 65,000 made to the Gardaí last year, the organisation says the reaction from officers has been worryingly “inconsistent.”
While progress has been made in specialised areas like the National Protective Services Bureau, Women’s Aid points out that nearly half (44%) of women who reached out for help found the Garda response to be unhelpful.
According to CEO Sarah Benson, young women in particular are experiencing extremely high rates of intimate partner abuse and wider gender-based violence. She also highlighted the sharp rise in tech-enabled abuse, saying it reflects the damaging impact of online pornography and a broader lack of consequences: there remains “little meaningful accountability” for either the platforms hosting harmful content or the individuals responsible.
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