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Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald today launched the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021. 

The strategy envisages a range of actions to be implemented by State, voluntary and community sector organisations aimed at preventing and responding to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Minister Fitzgerald said:

Domestic and Sexual Violence are pernicious evils and a blight on any civilised society. Their complex nature requires a whole of Government solution. The Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence reinforces this Government’s ongoing commitment to combat these problems. The overall objective is to make Ireland a safer and better place to live.  

Among the strategy’s actions for which An Garda Síochána are responsible is the implementation of a risk assessment for all victims of domestic violence and a focus on recidivists of domestic and sexual violence to prevent and detect crime. A planned and managed approach by An Garda Síochána to each report of a domestic violence incident is provided for including personally calling to victims, in depth risk assessment and the provision of information.

The Minister announced that she has secured funding of €950,000 for 2016 to run a new national awareness raising campaign which is a key action in the strategy.

The Minister concluded:

My aspiration is that this campaign will have a significant impact by making a real and substantial difference to people’s lives, offering hope and support to those affected by these despicable crimes and that it will send an irrefutable message to perpetrators that this violence is totally unacceptable in Ireland and that it must stop.

The strategy is available on the Department's website here.