After years of campaigning West Cork is set to get its first ever safe house for women and children escaping domestic abuse thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor.
A private donor through The Community Foundation for Ireland has allowed the West Cork Women Against Violence Project purchase a house which will be used to give families fleeing domestic violence a place of safety, shelter and support. Where they can begin to heal and make plans for a better future free of abuse and fear.
It is expected that remaining funding from the €400,000 donation will be used to acquire further supports, possibly a second smaller property to also provide a safe space. The purchase of the house completes an 18-month process to identify and acquire a suitable property during Covid-19 restrictions.
The donation comes 20-years since the West Cork Women Against Violence Project was established to ensure that women and children forced to live with the danger of domestic abuse could access local specialised services and supports to keep them safe and prevent further violence.
Confirming the announcement Project Coordinator Marie Mulholland said:
“There is no better way to mark International Women’s Day than to announce that thanks to a private donor, our long-held vision and goal of a Safe House in West Cork has become a reality. As a result we will be able to provide safe and comfortable accommodation to a woman and her children when they need it most.
The lack of safe emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence is of national concern but is slowly beginning to get the attention it deserves. However, the situation for rural women and children in need of safety is exacerbated by the challenges of rural life in West Cork; isolation, long distances to the city and the limited capacity of the refuge there, lack of public transport and the dangers presented when women flee their violent partners.
Now, with our own Safe House, our local knowledge and 20 years of experience we can eliminate much of those challenges and difficulties and offer a very real sense of safety to those fleeing violent households.
Our service has achieved many milestones and today marks perhaps the most important ever. The purchase of a suitable house is a vital step on our journey to keep women and children in West Cork safe from violence.
On behalf of our team, the women and their families we support and work with I want to thank the anonymous donor and their overwhelming generosity in allowing the purchase of the house.”
Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Ireland, Denise Charlton added:
“We are honoured to connect a private donor to the West Cork Women Against Violence Project to achieve a significant goal. The donor is passionate about providing accessible local support to victims of abuse. This project absolutely fits in with that goal. Allowing women and children to remain under threat and in danger because services are not available locally is not acceptable.
The Community Foundation for Ireland has been a strong supporter of volunteers, groups and national organisations combating domestic violence for 21-years. Covid-19 has brought the issue centre stage and we hope that a tipping point has been reached.
Overall we have provided €3.3 million in over 300 grants through our Women's Fund established 10-years ago to support women and girls.
On International Women’s Day, together with our donors and our partners on the ground we are recommitting to our work and support in this area.”
ENDS
How You Can Help
If You want to contribute to The Women's Fund or indeed any of our funds Contact:
Jackie Harrison, Our Directortor of Philanthropy: JHarrison@foundation.ie
Frances Haworth – Senior Philanthropy and Development Advisor: FHaworth@foundation.ie
Note to Editors
About the West Cork Women Against Violence Project
Twenty years ago, a small group of volunteers, a dedicated committee of activists and a nineteen and a half hour per week Community Employment scheme worker began to devise a response to the need they had identified, which was supports for women who were living within abusive relationships in West Cork.
If women wanted to talk about their situation and the abuse that they lived with every day, they faced many potential challenges. Given the largely rural nature of West Cork, a woman with no car of her own might not have any access to transport if she needed to leave the family home. Her isolation could be heightened if she had no sympathetic family or neighbour who would support her, often the case in very traditional areas, where there was stigma and disbelief attached to victims of domestic abuse. Services were often non-existent or not available locally. Often, there was an impact on the mental health of women dealing with abuse on their own, without support.
Over its twenty year history strong linkages have been fostered between WCWAV and health and mental health services, social services, the County Council, an Garda Siochana, the Court services, and many community and voluntary organisations.
Like many developments that begin as a response to local needs, twenty years after it started, West Cork Women Against Violence continues to provide a quality, consistent service to the women of West Cork, and many of the challenges facing those women remain the same. Over the past twenty years, WCWAV has consistently highlighted the issue of the lack of accommodation for women in emergency and crisis situations, and the absence of any refuge spaces in West Cork, since the service started.
The Community Foundation for Ireland
The Community Foundation for Ireland and its partners believe in equality for all in thriving communities. We work with individuals, families, corporates and other trusts and foundations as well as Government to translate giving in the moment to giving that is strategic, sustainable and impactful. We use our skills and knowledge developed over 21-years to help donors turn aspirations into effective investments.
In 2020 alone we provided over €15 million in grants. At a time of national crisis we have adapted and responded forming new and unique partnerships, including a Covid-19 Emergency Fund, RTÉ Does Comic Relief as well as the Late Late Toy Show Appeal. Together we have given frontline organisations and lifeline services the resources for digital transformation so their vital work can continue through the Pandemic.
Since our establishment we have provided in excess of €70m to communities through strategic investments. Our Donors provide leadership and support across areas as diverse as engaging communities on climate action, restorative justice for young people, human rights as well as identifying future priorities, including support for all-island civic society engagement.
In addition the issues of climate change, domestic violence as well as rights for minorities such as travellers, migrants and LGBTI+ still need to be urgently addressed. Brexit and the post-Covid scenario will also present their own challenges.
We have a dedicated and committed team; they have extensive experience of grant-making from working with over 5,000 non-profit organisations at a national, regional and local level throughout Ireland and overseas. With over 1,800 community foundations globally, the community foundation model is proven and effective model for social change.