Women's Aid has recorded the highest number of domestic disclosures last year.

The national organisation revealed in its annual impact report that 40,048 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and children were made last year during 28,638 contacts with its national and regional support services.

These figures point to an 18% increase compared to the data collected in 2022. However, the charity warns that these recordings indicate just the "tip of the iceberg."

The abuse reported to the organisation by women includes emotional abuse, physical violence, sexual abuse, as well as economic control and high numbers of reports of coercive control.

The collected data suggests an alarming increase in both physical violence, which was up 74% from last year, and economic abuse, which was up 87%.

Women's Aid has stated that these figures are the highest reported in the organisation's 50-year history.

The charity shared that some women reported assaults with weapons, constant surveillance and monitoring, relentless put-downs and humiliations, the taking and sharing of intimate images online, complete control over all family finances, sexual assault, rape and being threatened with their or their children's lives.

The impact these acts had on the women involved ranged from exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness to serious injury, suffering miscarriages, poverty, feeling a loss of identity as well as suicide ideation, hypervigilance, and homelessness.

Sarah Benson, CEO of Women's Aid, stated that it is  "shocking"  and "utterly appalling" that in their 50 years of service to women across Ireland, they are "still receiving record disclosures of domestic abuse." Benson explained that one in four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and that this abuse also impacts children and community members.

Benson warns that these figures do not begin to scratch the surface and says that "Fear, stigma, and self-blame", as well as "persisting social attitudes to domestic violence, prevent victims from coming forward."

Continuing, Benson explained, "So many victims-survivors lack the information or confidence to contact specialist services, and about one-third will suffer in total isolation, telling nobody what is happening to them. We still have so much work to do to break this silence to encourage those in need to get the support they deserve. What we hear in our national and regional services is replicated across Ireland in local domestic abuse refuges and organisations."

If you or anyone you know has been affected by these issues contact the Women's Aid 24/7 national freephone helpline at 1800 341 900. 

Key findings from our Annual Impact Report 2023:
- 40,048 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and children.
- 28,638 contacts with our national and regional support services.
- Highest ever level of disclosures in 50 years.

Read: https://t.co/9RuSbhVCMq#WomensAid2023 pic.twitter.com/QF75r4zrtB

— Women's Aid Ireland (@Womens_Aid) June 18, 2024