EIGHTEEN Cork women died violently between 1996 and 2016, a report released by Women’s Aid has revealed.
The Femicide Watch Project, published to coincide with International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, revealed that the majority of women knew their killer.
‘Behind Closed Doors: 20 Years of the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch 1996 – 2016’ launch and seminar. The Seminar explored societies attitudes to domestic violence, femicide, the victims and perpetrators and what needs to change. The 25th November is the UN Day Opposing Violence against Women and the start of the Women’s Aid 16 Days of Action campaign. A member of the public pictured at the exhibition which represents each woman recorded on a white dove with a black trim for each woman with her name, age and date of death on it. Pic Paul Sharp/SHARPPIX
Eight of the Cork women recorded were killed by partners or ex-partners, while five were killed by male relatives or male acquaintances. Three were killed by male strangers and two cases remain unsolved.
The Cork figures are the second highest in the country, after Dublin where 64 women were killed in the same period.
Nationally, 209 women have died violently since 1996 with 131 women killed in their own homes. 65 women were stabbed, 54 women were strangled, 44 women were beaten, 27 women were shot and 19 women were killed by other means.
Taking part in a debate on gender-based violence in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, MEP Deirdre Clune said that she is “confident” that the Government will publish the Domestic Violence Bill before the end of the year.
“Violence against women and girls knows no boundaries of geography or culture — it is a global crisis.
“Enda Kenny has already highlighted the measures in the Bill in the Dáil this week and described how all measures linked to the issue of domestic violence would be amalgamated into one piece of legislation — I welcome this.”
Ms Clune raised the point that domestic violence is not always recorded within gardaí/HSE protocols as a form of abuse, “which means it can get hidden under an anti-social behaviour category of crime”.
“This makes accurate recording of domestic violence statistics difficult.
“ Last year, I visited the OSS domestic violence support service in Cork and I was struck by the important work that they do in the community with limited resources.
“This is an issue we must tackle, resource and focus on in order to break the cycle of domestic abuse in Ireland today.”
In Cork, vigils have been held to mark the beginning of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign.
The Mothers’ Union in Cork, Cloyne and Ross will hold a vigil at St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, this evening from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with the message that violence against women and children is not ok., and that “action needs to be taken and attitudes need to be changed.”
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