Herald Opinion: Navigating the legal system can add to abuse victims’ trauma
Despite the vital support services organisation like Esker House in Athlone can provide for victims of domestic abuse, the legal system can still provide plenty of challenges.
The Esker House Women’s Refuge and Domestic Abuse Service is one a number of organisations that provides vital support to women affected by domestic abuse.
The key role is to provide a safe space for woman and their children in these crisis situations.
However, it’s clear from speaking to this Athlone -based service that, despite the amazing support such services provide, there are still significant challenges facing victims of domestic violence when it comes to interacting with the legal system.
Unfortunately, those challenges can add to the trauma already being suffered by victims, many of whom have never stepped inside a courthouse before.
Part of the services provided by Esker House, which covers parts of South Roscommon, is to help guide and assist victims, and in many cases their children, when they seek protection, through the courts, against the abuser.
While emergency cases involving an immediate danger to the victim is dealt with immediately by the courts, applications for other types of Domestic Violence (DV) orders in the courts can often take months. That can be for several reasons including the courts system creaking under the workload and the statistics certainly back that up.
The number of DV orders that Esker House has helped process has more than doubled since 2022, going from 149 three years ago to 337 in 2024. There has also been an 800% increase in the number of adjournments of DV orders which Esker House has assisted with since 2022.
At a time when the need for more resources could not be higher, it is also hard to believe that there is only one dedicated family court, which is located in Dublin.
From speaking to the staff at Esker House, it’s clear what are some of the key reforms needed.
They include more suitable courthouse venues for victims; more family law solicitors; more training for solicitors and judges in the area of domestic abuse; and the whole area of legal costs being prohibitive.
Thankfully, a new family law bill aimed at major reform was signed into law late last year, so let’s hope this new legislation can help in reducing the fear and stress for victims when dealing with the legal system.
