Updated Domestic, Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Strategy Published

The government-approved Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021 has been published by Minister for Justice and Equality, Francis Fitzgerald.

The strategy envisages a range of actions to be implemented by State, voluntary and community sector organisations aimed at preventing and responding to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Minister Fitzgerald said: "Domestic and Sexual Violence are pernicious evils and a blight on any civilised society. Their complex nature requires a whole of Government solution.

"The Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence reinforces this Government's ongoing commitment to combat these problems. The overall objective is to make Ireland a safer and better place to live."

In launching the second national strategy, the Minister announced that she has secured funding of €950,000 for 2016 to run a new national awareness raising campaign which is a key action in the strategy. The campaign will commence in 2016 and it is intended that it will run for a period of six years. It will be subject to EU tendering procedures and consultation with non-governmental (NGO) stakeholders.

Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are crimes that occur in all social classes, all ethnic groups and cultures and among people of every educational background. They are often hidden crimes that can have devastating physical, emotional and financial consequences for victims as well as society as a whole.

This campaign aims to bring about a change in long established societal behaviours and attitudes in relation to domestic and sexual violence, and to activate bystanders with the aim of preventing this violence.

The campaign will recognise that women and men are victims of such crimes. The campaign is supported by NGO stakeholders. It is also a requirement under the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) to promote or conduct public awareness raising campaigns.

The Minister concluded: "My aspiration is that this campaign will have a significant impact by making a real and substantial difference to people's lives, offering hope and support to those affected by these despicable crimes and that it will send an irrefutable message to perpetrators that this violence is totally unacceptable in Ireland and that it must stop."

(MH)