Domestic violence refuge opens in Dublin

Ottoline Spearman

A new domestic violence refuge has opened in Dublin.

The state's gender based violence agency, Cuan, funded the refurbishment of the building and will support operational costs.

The refuge will be run by charity Sonas, and will support up to 36 families per year.

The facility has a staff of 14, including support workers for both adults and children.

This comes after the launch of a new stream of a new stream of the 'Always Here' awareness campaign at the end of September, which helps survivors and victims of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.

The central message of the new campaign is the message 'You are not alone'.

The campaign website has information on national helplines for both men and women subjected to domestic and sexual violence.

It also includes an interactive map where people can find local services in their county.

Recently, the Irish Examiner reported the number of domestic violence incidents reported to An Garda Síochána in 2024 was 49,230, up from 18,782 in 2016 — an increase of 162%.