FESTIVE FEAR

According to both the PSNI and Women’s Aid, the Christmas period is a peak time for offences of domestic violence in the community each and every year. And their joint message is clear - ‘don’t put up with it!’.

Directly in the wake of the festive period last year, the local Women’s Aid group received 34 new referrals for Ballymena.

In total, 282 victims were referred to their services in the town between April, last year, and March of 2011, alone.

Earlier this month, at a Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) it was confirmed that 14 victims of domestic violence from Ballymena had been referred. - Victims who are referred to MARAC are those who come to the attention of agencies such as the PSNI, Women’s Aid, Social Services, NIHE, etc. and who are at risk of serious injury or worse.

Province-wide, in the six months from April to September of this year alone, there has been a total of 12,151 such incidents, a rise of around 650 on the same period in 2010. Many more were not reported.

Although anyone can be affected by domestic violence, in the vast majority of cases of domestic violence a woman is the victim and the man is the perpetrator.

Domestic Violence is defined by Women’s Aid as: ‘the intentional and persistent physical or emotional abuse of a woman, or of a woman and her children in a way that causes pain, distress or injury’.

Gail McLaughlin from Women’s Aid Ballymena, Antrim, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey, says: “Traditionally we see an increase in referrals to our services during and after the Christmas break. Some of these referrals come from PSNI and other agencies but many women come to us directly.

“As an organisation we welcome the increase in reporting of abuse – we know that it’s happening, to an estimated one in four women across Northern Ireland and feel encouraged that victims are coming forward”.

Gail welcomed the timely relaunch, last Wednesday, by the PSNI of their Domestic Abuse Advertising Campaign which is designed to encourage the reporting of incidents and make domestic abuse victims aware that they can take steps to stop it.

She said: “We are happy to support this initiative by PSNI and can assure anyone living with abuse that they are not to blame nor are they on their own – support from a range of agencies is there for them.”

Speaking about the initiative, Chief Inspector John Magill said: “We know from our research that incidents of domestic abuse rise over the festive season and unfortunately many incidents of domestic abuse still do not get reported to the Police Service. I would encourage all victims of domestic abuse to come forward and report the matter to the police.

“It is important that people are aware they no longer have to endure abuse, that there is support for them and a means through the law to address the situation they are in.”

Ballymena Borough Councillor and DPP member, Audrey Wales MBE, added: “I would urge people not to put up with violence. It is not a part of life and is not something we should be subjecting ourselves to.

“To anyone who finds themselves becoming a victim I would say ‘report it’ and get out of the situation as safely and quickly as possible”.

The campaign, which will run in a number of hotspot areas across Northern Ireland, incorporates radio, billboard and bus advertising and also publicises the 24 hour Domestic Abuse helpline phone number which is 0800 917 1414.