Women are at increasing risk of being trapped in abusive relationships during the recession, a leading campaign group claimed today.
More than 15,000 women called the Women’s Aid helpline last year suffering from physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse at the hands of a partner, according to the body's annual report which was launched in Dublin today.
And the support group warned controlling boyfriends and husbands were making life even harder by withholding and threatening to withhold money.
Margaret Martin, Women’s Aid director, said vulnerable women were trapped amid fears of increased poverty, losing their home and the effect it would have on their children.
“Domestic violence is a huge problem within Irish society,” she said.
“This year we are particularly concerned about the impact of the recession on women experiencing domestic violence from their boyfriends, husbands and partners.”
“We know that economic difficulty does not cause domestic violence. It is a feature of Irish life during boom times and times of recession.
“But we hear from women living in abusive situations that their ability to escape domestic violence is being hampered by the recession.” The Women’s Aid report revealed 1,900 women reported financial abuse last year.
Some women were denied access to the family finances, including money for food for themselves and children and the household bills, while abusive partners arranged all social welfare in their own name and debt in the woman’s name.
The group also received reports of forged cheques and women being forced to put the abuser’s name on the deeds of the house.
PA