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To mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has confirmed details of extra funding for areas of the country or categories of victims not currently fully covered by support services for victims.
As part Minister McEntee’s ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey Plan’ to help victims and vulnerable witnesses, a mapping exercise was undertaken to identify gaps in funding and how to address them.
A number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide further services and to increase the geographical spread of support to victims of crime.
Minister McEntee said:
"I’m delighted to be able to confirm these details as we mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and start the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.
"In general terms the funding will increase these organisations ability to supports victims especially given the rise in those seeking help.
"This will be done primarily by increasing phone line hours, emotional support, and increased court accompaniment. Most of the funding gaps identified called for increases to regional-based domestic abuse services so the geographical spread of support will be increased.
"Tackling domestic, sexual and gender based crime is a priority for me and the government. I am leading work on a new whole of government plan to tackle these awful crimes. This new plan will be the most ambitious to date and will be published early next year."
Among the 18 organisations receiving a total of €445,000 in funding this year are Victim Support at Court, Lifeline Inishowen, Longford Women’s Link, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.
Noeline Blackwell of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said:
"We will use this funding for a comprehensive information and awareness drive about accompaniment and support services.
"We aim to build a set of resources which would allow anyone needing it to independently find information and guidance on what various aspects of court accompaniment mean, what services are provided, what a victim or the supporter of a victim should know."
The extra funding is being provided in 2021. This is separate from increased funding recently announced under Budget 2022 for combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence and for supporting victims of crime, which includes:
The Budget 2022 allocation also includes €4.9m to support Victims of Crime.
The Department of Justice has invited applications for this funding from registered charities, voluntary community groups and other bodies which provide support services or assistance for victims of crime generally, including provision of support, information and advice on the rights of victims, and court and other accompaniment.
Minister McEntee added:
"The objective is to ensure that all of these services are available to all victims who need them, to a consistently high standard and throughout the State."
Applicants for funding must be civil society organisations and preferably a registered charity and must be returned by 5pm on 6 December. For further details on how to apply, please contact: fundsadmin-victims-crime@justice.ie
Following publication of Supporting a Victim’s Journey the Department of Justice established specific sub-groups to work on implementing some of the O’Malley Review recommendations. One of these, with NGO representatives, was tasked with carrying out a review of the supports and funding of civil society organisations providing frontline services and mapping the journey that faces the victim.
To support this a funding call was placed in December 2020 for frontline support services for Domestic abuse, Sexual crime, Human Trafficking and Victims of crime generally. The department commissioned an expert consultant to analyse and categorise the supports provided with grant funding from the Department of Justice in 2021 to-date under the Victims of Crime grant scheme.
This exercise identified a) geographical areas and b) categories of victims which represent gaps or unmet needs in the current provision of support services for victims of crime within the criminal justice system.
The mapping exercise was completed in July 2021 and a number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide additional services and to increase the geographical spread of support. 18 organisations are allocated funding ranging from €10k to €150k.
25 November marks the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which is an annual international campaign that kicks off on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and will run until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
The global theme this year is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!”. It is 30 years since the start of the 16 Days campaign- and this topic is as important now as it was 30 years ago.
Through social media activity across the 16 days the Department of Justice will be supporting this UN campaign and will be using #OrangetheWorld to highlight some of the work we have achieved across the justice sector over the last 30 years in tackling this issue, informing victims of the supports available and signposting where you can find information on how to help those you suspect may be in an abusive relationship.
| NGO | Amount | Reason |
| A.S.S.C. | €20,000 | Develop expansion plans for additional counties |
| AdVIC | €10,000 | Extend support to other counties |
| Amal Women's Association | €10,000 | Extend support to other counties |
| AnyMan t/a Men’s Aid | €18,000 | Extend support to other counties. Develop helpline provision |
| Domestic Violence Advocacy Centre (Sligo) | €15,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Dublin Rape Crisis Centre | €150,000 | An expanded accompaniment service in the light of increasing numbers of victims and to ensure sufficiency of ongoing specialist counselling provision |
| Dundalk Counselling Service | €10,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Immigrant Council of Ireland | €30,000 | Support outreach work with trafficking victims |
| Kerry Women’s Refuge and Support Services (Adapt) | €15,000 | Increased demand for services |
| Laois Domestic Abuse Service | €20,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Lifeline Inishowen | €15,000 | Increased demand for services |
| Longford Women's Link | €20,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service | €32,000 | Allow for one FT staff member (upgrade from PT). Additional emergency services) |
| Rape Crisis Network | €20,000 | Increased demand and COVID backlog |
| Roscommon Safe Link | €15,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Tearmann Housing Association | €15,000 | Allow for additional emergency services |
| Victim Support at Court | €20,000 | Recruitment campaign for volunteers |
| Westmeath Support Service against Domestic Abuse | €10,000 | Develop helpline provision |
| Total | €445,000 |