Women suffering domestic abuse are more likely to be from ethnic groups and the Travelling community, it was claimed today.
A new study found while Traveller women make up just 0.5 per cent of the population, they account for 15 per cent of victims of physical or sexual assaults.
Elsewhere migrant women, who represent 5 per cent of residents, make up 13 per cent seeking help in the face of gender-based violence.
The Women’s Health Council (WHC), which promotes health and social gain for women, called for protection from gender-based violence to be recognised as a human right.
Director Geraldine Luddy said: “We now know that minority ethnic women living in Ireland are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence for a number of reasons, including entrenched gender inequality, social exclusion and racism.
“We now also know what is required to ensure that help is delivered in a manner that best suits their needs.”
The WHC report, Translating Pain Into Action - gender based violence- featured interviews with 26 minority ethnic women from Asia, eastern Europe, and Africa, who survived violence, and surveys with health professional and organisations.
Over one year, 544 minority ethnic women - 228 Travellers and 316 were non-Irish - reported being a victim of violence to their GP.
Acts included physical attacks by a partner, sexual assaults, emotional abuse, forced marriages, trafficking for sexual exploitation, and female genital mutilation.
It stated many women felt they could not complain as domestic violence was either accepted in their communities, there was unequal power between men and women, they felt a sense of loyalty, feared stigma, and lack of trust in services.
For others, these factors were compounded by language barriers.
WHC said some women, who had survived a range of traumatic events in their lives before fleeing to Ireland, still feared contacting gardaí to report domestic violence.
Travellers in particular felt there was a perception that domestic violence was seen as a part of their culture by police, stopping them from seeking barring orders.
The MHC study was undertaken to identify how services in Ireland can best respond to the needs of minority ethnic women who have experienced physical or sexual abuse.
It wants concessions for victims of domestic violence whose legal status is dependent on their continued relationship with their spouse.
PA