Women’s Aid reports online surge after Norah Casey interview

Women's Aid has said visits to its website almost doubled over the weekend following Norah Casey's interview on the Late Late Show on Friday.

The businesswoman spoke publicly for the first time about the domestic abuse she suffered over a nine-year period in her first marriage.

Ms Casey said on one occasion after a night out her then husband Peter "battered me senseless". "He kicked me, he punched me, he got me on the ground, and he went to get a knife from the kitchen," she told host Ryan Tubridy.

Christina Sherlock, communications and campaign manager at Women’s Aid said: “Visits to the website increased by 45 per cent on Friday and Saturday compared to the previous weekend.”

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Ms Sherlock said the organisation would be looking into its calls system over the coming days to see if there had been a similar increase.

“What we can say at the moment is that women are calling and are mentioning the interview and that the helpline was very busy over the weekend,” Ms Sherlock added.

Margaret Martin, Director of Women's Aid said: "By speaking out about her experience, Norah will have empowered many others. Women will see that they are not alone and will be encouraged to reach out for help.

“Indeed women have contacted our National Helpline for support in the wake of the interview and saying they watched the show. Other survivors and supporters have shared their admiration for Norah and told of their own experiences on our social media pages.”

The former Dragon's Den star met her first husband in London when she was 23.

“I’m not going to make him out to be a monster, because he was charismatic,” she said. “My father thought he was a lovely gentleman.”

Early in their relationship, the pair were due to go on holiday to Asia and went out for dinner the night before they were travelling.

“That night, we were coming back from dinner and I said something to irritate him, I don’t know what it was. We were coming into the drive, and he slammed on the brakes,” she said.

“There was a bad atmosphere. I went to get out of the car and he got out and he came round to my side and I thought he was going to give me a huge. Instead, he grabbed my head and slammed it off the side of the car, really forcibly, and then he just casually opened the door of the house and walked in... I eventually followed him in and sat on the couch for ages.”

Ms Casey said she constantly thought about leaving but couldn’t. After one assault, she said she had three broken ribs, a broken cheekbone and bruising all over her body. She left six months after this attack and checked into a hotel in London.

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can call Women's Aid 24 hour National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900 or visit www.womensaid.ie.