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She is sitting quietly watching her children play. They are on the floor, sharing the Lego set and even helping each other find different bricks. She smiles at this moment of calm.
Moments of calm were not the norm for this family. Not because of the usual sibling squabbles but because of the expectation of violence that was present every day in the place they called their home.
Until a few months ago, this violence was felt by them all every day. She felt it physically, with her partner regularly hitting her, confining her to the home and emotionally abusing her every day. The children were exposed to it daily; exposed to seeing their father attack their mum and exposed to a constant feeling of uncertainty and fear.
They were also exposed to the care their mum had for them, endlessly physically and mentally shielding them. It was this feeling of care that pushed her, with the aid of a friend, to seek and fund support through Aoibhneas, a Dublin-based charity that supports women and children experiencing domestic abuse.
This Christmas, through a partnership with IMAGE Media, Tarasis Enterprises and its charity foundation iCare are proud to support Aoibhneas as a main benefactor of the iCare Christmas Appeal. As an organisation whose mission is centred on supporting and championing women, we are IMAGE Media are proud to support this appeal by reaching out to our audience and partners, as well through staff initiatives and a company donation this Christmas.
In addition, we are calling the IMAGE community to generously donate Vouchers and Wish List items to bring the feeling of Christmas to the women and children who are residing on the Dublin refuge this Christmas, as well as those who accessed Aoibhneas outreach services throughout 2024. Due to the housing crisis, many of these women are residing in temporary hotel accommodation or have no option but to return ‘home’ despite the risks. Your donations can help to bring a sense of Christmas to these families this year.
All monetary donations can be made directly to iCare here through their secure link). All vouchers can be emailed businessclub@image.ie citing “Aoibhneas” and the donor’s name and company name. The deadline for product donations is December 17 and all who are interested can email the same address to arrange a drop-off.
Aoibhneas was established in June 1988 by women in the community to meet the needs of women and children experiencing domestic abuse living in the Ballymun area. At that time, provided this support from a three-bedroom flat in Ballymun. Today, accommodation is provided through a 10-unit refuge in Coolock, with a second refuge currently being built. In addition to the centre, Aoibhneas provides a continuum of care to women and children through access to a 24-hour Freephone number; community and outreach services and a court preparation service.
According to CEO Emma Reidy, a 2019 IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Award winner, the charity is facing an ever-increasing demand for their services, with the cost-of-living and housing crisis making women more susceptible to abusive situations and leaving them fewer options to leave.
“We provide both preventative and protective measures at Aoibhneas and all elements are in demand. This is why we are building a second refuge at the moment. The housing crisis is making it increasingly difficult for women.”
Every year, iCare launches its annual Christmas Appeal. This year this campaign will directly support Aoibhneas and Women’s Aid in Northern Ireland and in the Republic. Over 20,000 people have been supported by the work of iCare and the charity hopes to boost this even further this year.
Through their support for Aoibhneas, the campaign will be supporting families who will be living in the Coolock refuge over the Christmas period and women and families in hotel accommodation; as well as the many families who have accessed outreach and community services throughout the year. Some of these families have returned ‘home’ to unsuitable situations but with little choice due to the housing and homelessness crisis; others are building their lives in new homes; others are living with friends or relatives. All are survivors of domestic abuse.
“We are proud to launch the iCare at Christmas campaign once again, bringing hope and essential support to those in need,” says Mairead Mackle, co-founder of iCare and CEO of Tarasis Enterprises. “Christmas can be a challenging time for many, and through this campaign, we aim to ease the burden and remind people they are not alone. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals and families across Ireland,” she says.
In 2023, at Aoibhneas, the youngest adult refuge resident was aged 17 and the oldest outreach client was aged 70. We have all read about the women who were killed by men, as a result of domestic violence. We have read the stories of women survivors who have shared their stories to try to impact positive change. Domestic abuse does not discriminate and in 2023 the youngest adult refuge resident was aged 17 and the oldest outreach client was aged 70.
Forty-nine per cent of women Aoibhneas supported identified their perpetrator as their current spouse, partner or boyfriend. Thirty-seven per cent identified an ex-spouse, ex-partner or ex-boyfriend. These figures are alarming and highlight how domestic abuse is a societal issue, one that impacts our communities and we ask you to support this campaign.
To find out more about iCare, you can visit icarecharity.com.