What is Domestic Violence & Abuse
What is domestic abuse?
Used with permission from Women’s Aid UK
Please note the phone numbers in this animation will not work in the Republic of Ireland
ChildLine in the Republic of Ireland’s freephone 24 hour listening service. 1800 666 666 All calls are free of charge and confidential. Text ‘list’ to 50101 (This is an automated free text support service)
Support Services
- turn2me is a high-quality, safe, anonymous, and confidential space for you to gain support for your mental health online.
- The Citizens Information Service provides free information about all public services in Ireland. Lo-call 1890 777 121
- Child and Family Agency supports Family Resource Centres, marriage/ relationship, bereavement & child counselling services and operates the Family Mediation Service.
- The Family Resource Centre National Forum is a national representative body working with Family Resource Centres located in communities throughout Ireland.
- Teenfocus is a support service to teenagers 13–18yrs who are experiencing difficulties. It is run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
- SpunOut is an online interactive support and information service for young people. It covers a range of issues relevant to young peoples’ lives and provides useful signposts to support services available.
- Teen-Line Ireland is a confidential helpline service for teenagers, dealing with any problems or worries they are experiencing. Freephone helpline: 1800 833 634 8-11pm or Text ‘Teen’ to 50015
- Youth Information Centres are based in many towns and cities and provide a free, confidential, service to young people and to those who work with them, on wide range of subjects including careers, education, employment matters, rights and entitlements, leisure, sport, travel and european opportunities.
- The National Youth Council of Ireland is a representative body for voluntary national youth organisations. It can help you to find youth services in your area.
Domestic abuse (or fighting/hurting) is when abuse or violence is used by one person to hurt, bully, or control another person in a relationship.
- Domestic Abuse can happen in any relationship, Domestic abuse is more often used by men against women, but it can also be used by women against men. It can also happen in same sex relationships between gay or lesbian couples
- Domestic abuse can happen in relationships where couples are married, living together, going out with each other or even living apart.
- It is often a pattern that starts early in a relationship and gets worse over time.
- Domestic Abuse can take many forms
- Physical: A grown up may, hit, punch, push, hair-pull, shake, kick another grown up?
- Emotional: A grown up may put down, curse or criticise, call names or threaten another grown up?
- Financial: A grown up may not be allowed have any money or go to work?
- Sexual: If someone is being forced to have sex at times or in ways you do not want to, being raped.
- A grown up sending hundreds of text message wanting to know where another grown up is?
What Children Say
This was made by Children & Young People around Ireland who have lived with Domestic Violence & Abuse