Marian Harkin warns of 25% rise in domestic violence since COVID-19
Marian Harkin addressed a parliamentary debate on the surge in domestic violence since the COVID-19 outbreak, citing a reported 25% increase and calling for better resources and prevention. She urged recognition of risk factors, highlighted gaps in services and suggested considering a dedicated minister to tackle domestic violence.
Increase in domestic violence
Harkin referenced a reported 25% rise in incidents since the COVID-19 outbreak and quoted the UN Secretary-General's description of a "horrifying global surge" in domestic violence. She said the scale of the problem is widespread and visible across society.
Risk factors and abuse of power
She identified drivers such as stress at home, job loss, alcohol abuse and relationship difficulties that can increase risk. Harkin noted that about 90% of victims are women and 10% are men and stressed that domestic violence is fundamentally an abuse of power.
Impact on students and disabled people
Harkin cited the Sexual Experience Survey of roughly 6,000 third-level students, reporting that 38% of first-year students experienced some form of sexual misconduct and that figure rises to about 50% by graduation. She highlighted that students with disabilities report higher levels of abuse.
Services, refuges and supports
She warned that support services have decreased while demand has grown, calling resources "woefully inadequate" for the size of the problem. Harkin noted black spots in provision, referencing nine counties mentioned by a colleague and that her own constituency lacks a domestic violence refuge. She welcomed measures such as access to the emergency rent supplement scheme for victims and awareness initiatives like the Still Here Awareness Campaign and Operation Freeshiv.
Prevention, education and a dedicated minister
Harkin argued prevention must be prioritised through visibility, education and changing attitudes from schools upward. She said members must accept the problem exists in every community and proposed that the next government might consider appointing a minister specifically responsible for domestic violence.
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Thank you, Ken Corle, Minister. I've been listening to the debate and I've heard several speakers talk about the riots in incidents of domestic violence since the outbreak of COVID-19, both here and globally, 25% increase here. And indeed, the UN Secretary General spoke of the horrifying global surge in domestic violence. And I suppose if we look at the current situation and we ask what's causing this, what's causing the 25% increase, we see some of the risk factors like stress at home, losing a job, alcohol abuse, relationship difficulties, etc. And if you couple that with a decrease in the level of support for the victims, you see the awful outcomes. And I think it's important to say that 90% of the victims are women, but 10% are men. And I think we need to remember that. But at the end of the day, whether the victim is male or female, domestic violence is always about an abuse of power. And the ability to abusively exercise that power can only happen in a society that tolerates it. And in that context, I agree with what my colleague Catherine Connolly has said. Yes, we have made progress. You spoke about the legislation on coercive control, and that's a positive response. It's slow burning, but it can be built on. The Still Here Awareness Campaign and the Operation Freeshiv are indications that we as a society are taking steps that we will not tolerate. And several deputies have spoken about Minister Daugherty and the steps she took around to allow victims of domestic violence access the emergency rent supplement scheme. And that has been positive. But Minister, I don't know. There's something really wrong. You spoke, and other deputies, about some of the most horrifying cases of domestic violence in Ireland. And they shake us to our core. But we know there's so many more cases. And a recent survey, the Sexual Experience Survey, makes for shocking reading. Something like 6,000 students were interviewed in third level, and 38% of first-year students report being victims of some form of sexual misconduct. And this rises to 50% by the time they leave college. One of the most awful outcomes of this survey was that students with disabilities report higher levels of abuse. And this tells us that the issue of domestic violence is across all generations. And that, unfortunately, we can't look to the younger generation and say things are going to be better, because there's no indication that they aren't. So I think there's two issues. The first one is, how do we stop or decrease domestic violence? And secondly, is how do we respond to the victims? For the latter, I have acknowledged that progress has been made, but the resources are still woefully inadequate because of the size of the problem. And black spots, again, Deputy Connolly referred to nine counties, but I know my own constituency, we do not have a domestic violence refuge. County Council has helped, but it's still an issue. And we can't speak of an escalating problem and at the same time not have a refuge there for the victims of domestic violence. And I suppose finally, Minister, just before I finish the question, the really difficult question is, how can we prevent or, if you like, reduce the number of domestic violence incidents in the first place? Well, I certainly don't have all the answers, but I think in the first place, we have to recognise it, we have to put it out there, and that it's very visible. And we have to say that it is widespread. It's in every gathering, it's in this house, in every house, there are victims and there are perpetrators. And we have to accept it here, that it's not always in somebody else's house. I think we need to look at our schools and see how they shape our attitudes to domestic violence and find ways of influencing attitudes right across society. I've said it's a huge challenge, and perhaps finally, Minister, one of the ways that we might look at really, for once and for all, dealing with that challenge is to perhaps the next government might look at appointing a minister specifically with responsibility for domestic violence. Thank you.
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