Every woman and child deserves to feel safe.
As the Christmas lights were switched off and the crib was packed away for another year, Safe Ireland turned the spotlight on the difficult issue of domestic violence, but more importantly, on what we can do together to make Ireland a safer place for women and children in 2021.
At the centre of our Christmas holiday is a mother and child. As a society, however, we are failing 1000s of women and children who live with coercive control and domestic abuse every day.
Christmas is a highly stressful time for those living with an abuser and new lockdown restrictions add to concerns that women and children may be further entrapped for an extended period of time. Safe Ireland knew from their services that Christmas had already been extremely busy and people were then facing into a January dealing with the impact of the double crisis of the holiday and this new period of strict lockdown.
Here are four simple but powerful things we can do to be more aware about coercive control and domestic abuse.
1. WATCH AND SHARE this powerful, 1 minute film.
Safe Ireland partnered with award winning director Marion Bergin to make Ireland’s first short film ad about coercive control. Watch and share it.
2. KNOW MORE about coercive control.
Coercive control is a crime. It is a persistent and deliberate pattern of behaviour by an abuser over a prolonged period of time designed to achieve obedience and fear. It does not have to be physical to be domestic abuse. Know the signs. You can download leaflets with more information from Safe Ireland here.
3. DONATE to help Safe Ireland protect more women and children.
In 2021, we hope to emerge from the pandemic. But, restrictions are again in place and may remain for some time. For most of us, this means staying at home and limiting our social contacts. For women and children living with an abuser, this means the dread and risk of more months of threats, stress, coercion, abuse and violence. Donate through Safe Ireland here.
4. GET HELP and advice.
If you or someone you care about is living with control and abuse in their home, staff in domestic abuse services across the country are highly trained and experienced. They will hear you and respond to your needs. Get help here.
Lioness by Ellen McDermott
OUT OF THE DARKNESS. INTO THE LIGHT.
We believe we have a real chance to change the relentless cycle of violence and abuse this year. Safe Ireland made really significant strides in 2020 in raising public and political consciousness about the dangers for women and children trapped with abusers.
In 2021, we can do even more to transform how we all understand and respond to the scourge of domestic abuse.
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Safe Ireland partnered in this campaign with award-winning creatives Herstory and film director Marion Bergin. This was a unique Christmas campaign because it launched on the last day of Christmas, Nollaig na mBán (Women’s Christmas).
The campaign features a powerful new first in Ireland – a 1 minute film advert that depicts the shrinking world of a woman and child living with control and abuse. The darkness of the film is complemented with a standout Herstory light show, illuminating landmark buildings like the GPO and Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin with images that celebrate the diversity, strength, autonomy and resilience of women in Ireland today. The light show features images from the award winning photographer Ellen McDermott, a dynamic new photographic series by photographer Myriam Riand and conceptual artist Áine O’Brien and the powerful new Safe Ireland advert created by Marion Bergin. You can see a selection of the images in the gallery below.
Safe Ireland believes that domestic violence can be prevented and exposed when all sectors of our society are talking about it and addressing it – creatives and artists, corporates and businesses, political and civil society. Then, Ireland will be safer for everyone.
Woman and Child, the campaign has been made possible with funding from The Community Foundation for Ireland and Irish Women in Harmony.