Responding to IPV in Ireland Mary Allen, School of Applied Social Science, University College Dublin

Ireland  Population: 4,239,848 (10% Non Irish) (CSO 2006)  (Grown by 600,000 since 1996)  “Celtic Tiger” Years.  Over 50% of Population attend third level education.

Nursing Education  Now a four year university programme.  200 students in UCD.  No reference to Domestic Violence in Course Module descriptions.

Areas of Work  Child and Family Statutory Work  Probation Service  Medical Social Work  Learning Disability  Fostering/Adoption  Adult Psychiatry  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry  Physical Disability  Housing Welfare  Travelling Community

S.Work Posts in Ireland (2005)NSWQB  43% increase in posts between 1999 and 2001: 12.3% Between ‘01 and ‘05  1999: 1,390 posts  2001: 1,993 posts  2005: 2,237 posts  HSE (H.Boards) employs 59.38%  Vol/Community13.86%  Probation Service12.77%  Medical9.7%  Local Authority3.89%  Hospice1.2%(‘01)

Social Work Education  4 Years (level 8) NQSW.  Mostly 2 years postgraduate (Masters) courses.  Provided in four main universities.  50% academic study and 50% practical placements.

Making the Links 1995  18% of women in intimate relationships had been subject to male violence  51% knew a woman who had been subjected to violence.

Making the Links (1995)  Mental Abuse: 13%  Physical Abuse: 10%  Threats of Physical Abuse: 9%  Sexual Assault:4%  Property or pets damaged:2%

National Crime Council 2005  15% of women, 6% of men, experienced severely abusive behaviour of a physical, sexual or emotional nature.(Lifetime prevalence)  1 in 11 women (1/25 men) severely physically abused:  1/12 women (1/90 men) sexually abused:  1/13 women (1/37 men) severely emotionally abused.

Services for Abused Women  Legal Options  Police Intervention  Refuges  Helplines  Hospital Emergency Departments  Social Workers

Services (Contd)  Services for women are primarily run by voluntary agencies, part funded by Government grants.  Refuges are run on an ad hoc basis by voluntary groups.  Services for abusive men are run by the Probabtion Service, on an ad hoc basis.

Sources of support: NCC 2005  Friend(s): 49%  Family:43%  GP:17%  Gardai:22% (29% (W) 5%(Men)  Solicitor:16%  Counsellor:18% (22% (W) 9% (M)  Told nobody: 33%

Women’s Aid Helpline 2005  2005: = 25,843 (97% female)  (57% re. emotional abuse: 28% re. physical abuse, 9% re. economic abuse, 6% sexual abuse) 75% increase between 2002 and 2005.

National Structures  Report of the Task Force on violence Against Women  National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women.  Eight Regional (Health Board) Committees.  ? Local area networks.

National Structures (Contd)  2007, new Agency set up without consultation:  Programme for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.  Gender neutral, ignores sexual violence, emphasis on prevention, rather than services.

Legislation  Domestic Violence Act 1996:  Civil Legislation only:  Three categories of Civil Orders- Protection, Safety and Barring Orders.

Table 1.1. Applications for Civil Orders YearBarring Orders Interim Barring Orders Safety Orders Protection Orders , ,3074, ,4701,1592,9034, , ,8143, , ,5573, , ,611N/a 20053, ,866N/a (Sources: Watson and Parsons (2005:89) Court s Service Annual Report, 2005)

Table 1.2 Prosecutions for Breaches of Domestic Violence Orders Year Proceedings Commenced ConvictionsDismissed/Wi thdrawn Pending 20021, (31.2%)603 (39.1%)265 (17.2%) 20031, (24.3%)455 (34.6%)391 (29.7%) 20041, (20.7)403 (32%)591 (47%) 20051, (17.6)403 (36.5%)505 (45.8%)

UCD Education on IPV  Within Justice and Human Rights module:  3 sessions- 7 Hours in total.  Primarily didactic.  Practice experience depends on cases on placement.

Content of Programme 1. Statistics, prevalence, definitions, gender symmetry issue. 2. Dynamics of IPV (use of UK television programme extracts, and Power and Control Wheel). 3. Causality of IPV (Primarily Feminist). 4. Typologies of IPV

Typologies of Domestic Violence  “Patriarchal Terrorism” (motivated by male power and control)  “Common Couple” Violence includes both male and female initiated violence-other stressors besides power issues. (Johnson 1995)  “Instrumental” Violence- goal oriented to maintain power and control  “Expressive Violence” – an expression of family conflict. “Motivation for violence matters”. (Kimmel, 2002)

Integrated Ecological Framework  Heise, 1998 m 2 Ontogenic

5. “Resistance” and Women’s help seeking. 6. Liz Kelly’s Process of Leaving. 7. Parenting and IPV. 8. Effects on Children. 9. Post Separation Issues (Violence, Custody and Access problems). 10. Perpetrators Programmes.

Crisis, Coping and Change (Adapted from Kelly, L. 1995)  Managing the situation: finding, or accepting, an explanation for the incident which allows for a future.  Distortion of Perspective: routines and thought processes are affected by having to manage the abuse – it becomes her responsibility.

 Defining the Abuse: means locating herself as someone who is being victimised and her partner as abuser.  Re-evaluating the relationship: Coping strategies now take on new meaning; leaving, temporarily or permanently, becomes easier to contemplate.

 Ending the relationship: this is a process- not a once off event. Complicated by lack of resources, racism, further violence, etc.  Ending the violence: this may not be possible. 70% of most serious violence occurs post separation.

Challenges to Education  No national protocols or policies.  Lack of time !  Students’ lack of experience.  Current emphasis on child protection.  Influence of gender symmetry discource.  Suspicion of anything associated with ‘feminism’.