Minister McEntee announces details of funding for organisations supporting victims of abuse and crime to mark 16 days of activism against gender based violence

Minister McEntee announces details of funding for organisations supporting victims of abuse and crime to mark 16 days of activism against gender based violence

• 18 organisations to receive funding this year primarily for regional based domestic abuse services
• Move will fill gaps in supports identified in areas of the country and for categories of victims
• Announcement coincides with International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
• €4.9m in extra 2022 funds for organisations supporting victims of crime also open for applications

25 November 2021

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:

• An additional €2.4m for specific awareness raising and training programmes on domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV) bringing to €5.35m the funding available for combatting domestic sexual and gender based violence.
• An additional €1.1m will be used to begin putting in place a legal advice and legal aid service in court for victims of sexual violence.
• An additional €1 million is being provided under the Garda Vote to provide accommodation for Divisional Protective Service Units.

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 December 6. For further details on how to apply, please contact: [email protected]

ENDS…/

Notes for Editors

Funding Background

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

16 Days of Activism

November 25 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.

Organisations receiving additional funding this year following the mapping exercise

Organisation	Recommendation for increase
A.S.S.C.	Develop expansion plans for additional counties
AdVIC	Extend support to other counties
Amal Women's Association	Extend support to other counties
AnyMan (formerly Amen) t/a Men's Aid	Extend support to other counties Develop helpline provision
Domestic Violence Advocacy Centre (Sligo)	Allow for additional emergency services
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre	An expanded accompaniment service in the light of increasing numbers of victims and to ensure sufficiency of ongoing specialist counselling provision
Dundalk Counselling Service	Allow for additional emergency services
Immigrant Council of Ireland	Support outreach work with trafficking victims
Kerry Women's Refuge and Support Services (Adapt)	Increased demand for services
Laois Domestic Abuse Service	Allow for additional emergency services
Lifeline Inishowen	Increased demand for services
Longford Women's Link	Allow for additional emergency services
Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service	Allow for one FT staff member (upgrade from PT) Additional emergency services)
Rape Crisis Network	Increased demand and COVID backlog
Roscommon Safe Link	Allow for additional emergency services
Tearmann Housing Association	Allow for additional emergency services
Victim Support at Court	Recruitment campaign for volunteers
Westmeath Support Service against Domestic Abuse	Develop helpline provision

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