Pharmacy group now offering domestic abuse support
People suffering domestic abuse and coercive control will be able to seek help from over 80 local pharmacies from today.
Totalhealth Pharmacies, representing outlets nationwide, is launching the service in conjunction with Safe Ireland.
Pharmacies involved will be able to put abuse sufferers in touch with any of thirty nine services.
Co-CEO of Safe Ireland, Mary McDermott, says it will be a totally confidential service and abuse sufferers will be able to seek private help on their local main street.
Ms McDermott says: "So the Gateway to Safety project is an opportunity for people, victims of domestic abuse themselves, or whether they may be are aware of it or just wish to talk to somebody about it,
"Can go into their pharmacy, be directed to a confidential and safe phoneline to their local domestic service where they can talk to some of the specialsit services that we have around the country."
Almost 5,600 incidents of domestic abuse have been recorded by gardaí in the past two months in a surge of cases linked to Covid-19 restrictions movement.
Figures show gardaí have dealt with 5,592 cases of domestic abuse since Operation Faoiseamh, the gardaí’s dedicated domestic violence operation during lockdown, was launched on April 1.
The figures represent a 25% increase in domestic abuse incidents over the same period in 2019.
