While domestic abuse peaks over the festive season, reports continue to be received throughout the year and police and their partner organisations strongly encourage reporting and provide support on an ongoing basis. Police efforts to bring offenders to justice continue unabated throughout the year and perpetrators should be warned domestic abuse will NOT be tolerated, they are criminals and will be treated as such.

Domestic abuse is a serious and complex issue. Abuse may be physical, psychological, sexual, financial or emotional. It is a crime that remains largely hidden behind closed doors, leaving its victims feeling trapped, powerless and isolated – afraid to say anything in case it makes a bad situation worse. However, abuse is rarely a one-off event. For example, on average a victim will endure 30 – 35 assaults before seeking help. The level of abuse is likely to increase over time and could even result in murder.  Friends, families and neighbours are often aware or suspect that something is happening but, for one reason or another, are reluctant to get involved. This is a mistake.

Domestic abuse also includes incidents between family members, aged 18 and over. (Family members are defined as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister and grandparents, whether directly related, in-laws or step family.)

For children living in a home where there is violence, Christmas is not a time of celebration, but one of terror, as the family are together for an extended period of time.

The Women’s Aid helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached by calling 0808 2000 247. It is run in association with Refuge, which provides a network of safe houses for those who need to leave home because of an abusive partner.

Samaritans offers further telephone support services for those who are experiencing difficulties at home, with trained staff on call to help people with a range of family issues including domestic violence. Samaritans treat calls in strictest confidence and are on hand 24 hours a day to provide emotional support and guidance. People can call on Samaritans on -UK dial 08457 90 90 90.
In the Republic of Ireland dial 1850 60 90 90

Remember – ‘It’s NOT Your fault – Your NOT alone.

Call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you have information about crime and don’t want to leave your name.

Children “are the silent, unseen and unheard victims of domestic violence in modern day Ireland”, said a Women’s Aid spokesperson today (Thursday 24 November).

“The Government needs to apply the best practice principle of protecting the child through the protection and support of the non-abusive parent,” said Margaret Martin, Director of Women’s Aid, at the launch of the 16 Days of Action campaign. “The principle needs to be acknowledged and reflected in any new child protection structures and any review of Family Law and domestic violence legislation.

“For many women who call Women’s Aid, protecting their children is a constant worry,” Ms Martin continued, “It is heartbreaking to listen to women who, with their children are living in a state of fear.”

The current recession has made it more difficult for women to help themselves. Their options have been greatly reduced and they find themselves trapped in relationships built on fear and violence.

“I wanted to leave, but he told me time and time again, ‘If you ever leave me, I’ll make sure you never see your daughter again’. At times I thought of killing myself. I felt totally trapped. It’s only for my children that I kept myself going.

“The turning point came when my son said to me one day ‘Mammy, I’m afraid of my Daddy’. I knew I had to leave.”  - Alison

“He would slap the children, he said that children needed to be slapped or they would never learn discipline, but it didn’t seem to be about discipline, it was about humiliating them. I will never forget the first time he took Ann into the hall, held her arm so tight and started slapping her on the bottom. I told him to stop, but now I’m at my wits end trying to find ways to protect the children and I got the look, the one that told me, don’t you start.” – Elizabeth.

These are the words of only two of the women who called Women’s Aid. Domestic violence is the most common context in which child abuse takes place, and exposure to domestic violence is recognised as a form of emotional abuse, affecting the child’s well-being.

In 2010 there were 1,658 incidents of child abuse reported to Women’s Aid. The main tactics of abuse were abusers smacking and hitting children with household items; abusers physically or sexually abusing children; abusers constantly shouting in children’s faces.

In addition to these, another 3,014 disclosed that children were living with domestic violence against their mother.

At the launch, Ms Martin said that she was deeply worried about the effect that the 2012 budget would have on women living in such conditions.

Women’s Aid is the only free service available to these women and has already been affected by a number of cuts. Refuges are finding it increasingly difficult to accommodate the women and children that need them, and further cuts will mean putting women and children who are being abused at risk.

Women’s Aid National Freephone service relies very much on public donations. Anyone who wishes to make a donation can do so at www.womensaid.ie or by sending donations to Women’s Aid, Everton House, 47 Old Cabra Road, Dublin 7.

The Women’s Aid Helpline is open from 10am – 10pm, 7 days a week: 1800 341 900.

750,000 children witness domestic abuse every year. The majority of 999 calls about domestic abuse are made by children.

I was married for 14 years and the first six years he was fantastic, I couldn’t fault him. But little by little things changed. He got involved with drink and drugs and started to resent the time I spent with the children. Any time with them – even things like bathing them, cooking for them, going to the park – was time I wasn’t devoting to him.

People don’t realise how much impact this has on the children. I used to think I was hiding it, I was covering up but I wasn’t. They knew. They saw.

The girls have seen him throw chairs at me, or push me up against a wall threatening to kill me. Until you’ve been in a situation where someone’s degrading you in all ways you just don’t know what it’s like. You’re not weak, you’re lost. You’ve lost control.

The impact of leaving your home and going into a refuge is huge – you’ve suddenly lost your family, house, finances, school and friends. My family are two hours travel away so I can’t go to them easily.

The Hands are not for Hurting project has really helped us.

The children can see that other children have been through the same thing. They can say how they feel and not be wrong. No-one judges them. My eldest had very low self esteem but she’s starting to believe in herself and get her zest for life back. My seven-year old is still angry. All she saw was anger and violence, so thinks that’s the right way to act. Since coming here I’ve learnt to put boundaries down for them in a way that’s positive, not negative.

An understanding of what the children have been through has helped. Other mums can understand; you’re in a room of people who know where you’ve been.

It’s been nearly five months since we came to the refuge. The oldest has come to forgive her dad and wants to give him a chance. She’s still angry but her maturity amazes me. She sees that forgiveness is the way forward. She’s made me feel like I’m important again.

The project helps you put your life back in order and go where you want. I’ve got great plans for the future now. He had got me down, but not anymore. My girls have given me my fight back. If they can do it, so can I.

Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid received £113,892 from Reaching Communities in January 2011

A women’s charity is urging victims and perpetrators of domestic violence to seek help during the run up to Christmas.

To read the full article click here

A women’s charity is urging victims and perpetrators of domestic violence to seek help during the run up to Christmas.

To read the full article click here

It is estimated that, worldwide, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.

Up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime.

Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war and malaria.

(For further information and stats see the UN fact sheet.)

On 25 November, it is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Two events are being held in Newcastle upon Tyne on Saturday 26 November in support of this day, and the aim to end violence against women:

• Newcastle Women’s Collective are having a ‘wish tree’ event (where members of the public can write messages of support for survivors and ‘wishes’ to end VAW to hang on a tree): Saturday 26 November, 12-3pm, Northumberland Street, Newcastle.
• The TUC are holding their annual Reclaim the Night March: Saturday 26 November, 6.30pm, Times Square (next to Centre for Life), Newcastle.

Newcastle Women’s Collective’s Wish Tree

Newcastle Women’s Collective are having a ‘wish tree’ - inspired by Yoko Ono – where members of the public can make a ‘wish’ to end violence against women, or write a message of solidarity for the victims and survivors of violence against women. They are aiming to raise awareness of violence against women, give out information leaflets, signpost resources and services, and encourage donations to Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre (http://www.tynesidercc.org.uk/), an organisation which has been running in the heart of Newcastle for 30 years but has no secure funding, and Women’s Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk).

They will be on Northumberland Street, Newcastle from 12-3pm, Saturday 26 November. Please come along and show your support, and write a message on the tree.

Reclaim the Night

This year the TUC’s Reclaim the Night event will take place in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Date: Saturday 26^th November

Time: 6.30pm – gather at Times Square, next to the Centre for Life, Newcastle. 7.00pm march to the Monument for candlelit vigil.

In Britain there are an estimated 47,000 rapes every year. Each year an estimated 300,000 women are sexually assaulted (British Crime Survey 2001), yet Britain’s conviction rate is the lowest ever at just 5.3%. When Reclaim the Night marches were first started in the 1970s women were appalled that only 1 in 3 rapists were ever convicted; today that figure is 1 in 20. This is why the Northern TUC have revived the tradition of Reclaim the Night. All women have the right to use public spaces both in the daytime and after dark without the fear of sexual harassment and assault. Join with women around the world to mark the United Nations International Day to End Violence Against Women and take back your night.

Please let us know if you are coming by registering with Ananthi aparkin@tuc.org.uk by Friday 18^th November.

Speakers:

Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central C

lare Williams, Chair of the TUC Women’s Group and Unison Regional Convenor

Everyone is welcome to attend and show their support.

Sarah* believes she is worthless. The reason she believes this is because her husband tells her so – every single day. She has been verbally, emotionally, physically and financially abused. She has no friends and is completely isolated from her family.
She is one of the estimated 1 in 4 women worldwide who will experience domestic abuse at some time in their lives, yet she believes she couldn’t survive without her husband Frank*.
After all, he’s her life, her son’s father, her only friend, her financial provider.

Sarah will tell you Frank wasn’t always this way – in fact, in the first few months, maybe even a year, everything was fantastic.

But as Jim O’ Shea, accredited counsellor and author of new book Abuse, Domestic Violence, Workplace and School Bullying (www.jimoshea.net) will explain, in the beginning everything will seem wonderful.

“Few relationships begin in an abusive way,” says Jim. “You may find your partner charming, charismatic, attentive, loving, romantic, polite, amusing, helpful and handsome. Equally desirable, he may share many of your interests. You may think you have found a real soul mate.”

Jim explains how the classic abuser will sweep you off your feet, and demand a quick commitment from you, putting you on a pedestal and making you think you really have met ‘the one’.

“If your self-esteem is low, that person’s initial attention will make you feel wanted, flattered and fortunate,” explains Jim.

But as soon this Jekyll and Hyde character has got you to commit, the mask will slip.

“Abusers cannot hide their tendencies for very long. Apparent love, affection and support are at some stage supplanted by the more dominant feelings of jealousy and envy. You might find yourself subjected to put downs and anger, rather then praise and nurturing.”

Signs of abuse

Abuse occurs in cycles – the tension, the explosion and then the ‘calm’ or the honeymoon phase. The abuser will get close for a while and then withdraw again as they cannot handle intimacy.
Abusers not only try and isolate you physically from those they consider a threat to their control over you – they’ll also do their best to isolate you psychologically. They do this by putting down those people who you hold dear. Maybe they’ll suddenly suggest you move house away from everyone you know, or start criticising your parents, your siblings or your friends. They also will usually have a violent temper which comes out on a regular basis.

“This temper may be evident in how they show road rage on a frequent basis or how they show disrespect and dislike for authority figures,” says Jim. “The abuser will ridicule, criticise, belittle and judge the opinions of others. He may be kind to you but show no consideration to the feelings of others. You will notice he refuses to listen to others and behaves like a know-all.”

There are clear signs you are attached to an abusive relationship. One of the most obvious is feeling uncomfortable or frustrated and not knowing why you feel this way. You may often feel upset, or find yourself never being listened to. Everything you say seems to be wrong.

Why do people abuse?

“All abusers have a low sense of self-esteem and self-worth,” explains Jim. “They think in extremes and tend of over-exaggerate their partners behaviour.
“They have a strong intolerance to any type of discomfort, and have rigid opinions about how a person should be.
“The abusive personality type believes the partner is the problem and must be controlled and made subject to his will.
“He does this by controlling the emotional distance between them.”

Can abusers change?

Only if they get help, and even then – it can be tough for them to do so, especially since it might be difficult to admit they are an abuser in the first place.
“Abusive characteristics are hardwired into the right side of the brain,” explains Jim.
“The abusive personality is programmed in early childhood as a result of an insecure attachment to the parent or carer. Therefore, abusers are programmed to control as a way of easing feelings of being worthless, vulnerable and unlovable.”
“Abusers have distorted thinking but also plan in a logical way and carry out a well thought out campaign of torture. Abusers are liars and generally deny their abusive behaviour. An abuser may have a strong sense of denial that they are an abuser.”

How can you get help?

You might be afraid to leave for a number of reasons – guilt, conditioning, lack of resources, children – the list can be endless. But remember you still can. The resources are there to help you do so in a safe way.
“If you are in an abusive relationship you can recognise what is going on and take steps to reclaim your life,” says Jim.
Only through counselling, and recognition of their problem, can an abuser can learn to change. If you’re a victim, don’t wait until they do.

If you suspect you or someone close to you may be a victim of domestic abuse call Women’s Aid on 1800 341 900 or go to www.womensaid.ie

If you are a man and suspect you may be a victim go to www.amen.ie 
If you are male, suspect you may be an abuser, and want to get help in changing go to www.moveireland.ie 

Abuse: Domestic Violence, Workplace and School Bullying, written by Jim O’Shea and published by Cork University Press, costs €14.95.

 Facts

• Domestic violence is the most common source of injury to women – it is more common than car accidents, muggings, and rapes by a stranger combined.
• 5-10 % of domestic violence victims are men, although this is a highly under-reported number due to society’s stigmas.
• 15 % of women and 6 % of men suffer severe domestic abuse (amen.ie)
• 29 % of female victims (1 in 3) and only 5 % of male victims (1 in 20) report to the Gardaí (amen.ie)
• In 2010, there were 13,575 incidents of domestic violence disclosed to the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline. That included 8,351 incidents of emotional abuse, 3,031 incidents of physical abuse and 1,605 incidents of financial abuse. In the same year, 588 incidents of sexual abuse were disclosed, including 213 rapes. (Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline and Support Services Statistics Report 2010)

Operation Safer Nights is the force’s approach to tackling alcohol fuelled violence across our town centres. In the past 12 months town centre violence has reduced by 19 per cent, with reported incidents standing at 1,262 incidents this year compared to 1,567 last year. Less than 14 serious violent crimes are committed in Staffordshire each week and the force is determined to drive that figure down even further.

Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale said:

“This is good news for the people of Staffordshire who can rest assured that we, together with our partners, are doing all we can to keep people safe, and make them feel safe. There’s no excuse for violence in the home, in our town centres or anywhere else for that matter. While the fall in the number of cases of violence with injury is to be welcomed, we will continue our drive to reduce it still further. We are working closely with our colleagues at local authorities and other partner agencies to clamp down on violence in all of its forms and make the communities we serve even safer. Operation Safer Nights was launched in December 2009 to specifically tackle violent crime, much of which is fuelled by alcohol, and has since seen the development of numerous initiatives aimed at reducing violent incidents in our town centres.

With early intervention tactics, would be trouble makers are removed from our town centres. Our licensing teams work closely with the licensing industry to ensure venues are operating lawfully and any licence conditions imposed are adhered too. We want people to be safe and to feel safe when they are out enjoying themselves and we remain committed to tackling the things that matter most to the communities we serve.”

David Pearsall, Chair of Staffordshire Police Authority, said:

“These figures are extremely pleasing, tackling violence in our town centres is a priority and we continue to work together with our partners to ensure that our town are safe and enjoyable places to visit.”

People ask me quite a bit why I care or why I bother campaigning on different issues and I came across this photo on a fellow friend and activist’s Facebook page and thought ‘yep, this is so true.’

And by angry – I don’t mean, I’m angry and want to punch something – it’s more a bubbling rage at the inequalities that make up our society that makes me want to agitate for a better society, but also I’m sick of having to justify and convince people that there is still a gender discrimination issue in Ireland. The Corrib Tape Scandal being a perfect example with peers on Facebook commenting that ‘people’ aka over emotional militant feminist women should just get over this, everybody does it – it doesn’t mean we’re all going to go out and rape girls.

Well do you know what - I WILL NEVER BE OK WITH SOMEONE JOKING ABOUT RAPE.

And yes that is in caps on purpose. Because really I just want to scream this at the top of my lungs at people who think it’s ok to make fun of an issue that for those who experience it, is one of the most horrific experiences that can be visited on a person.

I worked in an office last year where male colleagues, my own age, made jokes about rape on a very regular business and it’s only now out of that environment I realise what an effect it had on me and how it influenced how I view young guys my own age. So negative had my view become that when I met a guy recently who was very openly against violence against women, I was surprised and warmed by this.  How ridiculous is that?! In 2011, I found myself pleasantly surprised that a guy my own age would be so passionately against inflicting violence on women. I don’t normally share personal experiences on blogs, but I wanted to share this because a) I need to find a way to let out the sheer overwhelming frustration I feel when I have to argue why those Guards in Mayo were wrong and b) hate speech like this, hiding behind curtains of black humour/satire does feed into our view of the world, ourselves, the society around us and how we interact with each other. The only way to remove this thinking is to have a zero tolerance approach. It should never be ok for someone to make comments founded in sexism, degradation and utter disrespect for a fellow human being. Lest we forget, rape isn’t about sexual desire — it’s about power and subjugation (from Martina Devlin’s Article in the Irish Independent)

Blogged by Linda

If anyone of you reading this have been affected by violence and/or sexual violence, there are a number of organisations you can contact:

Rape Crisis Network Ireland: http://www.rcni.ie/

Women’s Aid: http://www.womensaid.ie/

Brittany Robinson is a student at Queen’s University Belfast and Belfast Bible College from Detroit, Michigan. She is in the third year of a theology degree.

Why did you decide to go along?
When I heard there was going to be a human trafficking conference in Belfast I knew I had to go. I have been researching for a long time now and this year I have been writing my dissertation on it. The title is “A missiological and theological approach to human trafficking“, so when I saw that the evening event was about what the faith community can do, I got really excited.

What did you learn at the event?
I felt like I re-learned a lot. Lauran covered a really broad amount of information about what is going on with trafficking and I have written a section of my dissertation on that. It was great to hear someone speak on it!

How has your resolve or passion changed as a result?
I have felt so encouraged ever since the event. After spending hours studying and writing about human trafficking, it was so refreshing to sit in a room of people wanting to know more and to know what they can do about it. Hearing Lauran speak felt amazing because it reminded me that I am not alone in wanting to see trafficking end. The evening was a real confirmation that this is what I want to do with my life- fight for the freedom of the oppressed!

We continue to be so excited about the response the day’s events have received and look forward to posting more of these aftermath snippets for you. We also look forward to hearing more about Brittany’s journey!

On 7th March 2011 national domestic violence charity Women’s Aid  launched the results of its survey of the effects of the proposed cuts to domestic and sexual violence services. Some 85 organisations, running a combined total of 420 refuge and outreach services, responded to the survey.

Women’s Aid reported that:

• 60% of refuge services have no funding agreed from 1st April 2011
• 72% of outreach services have no funding agreed from 1st April 2011

They point out that two women every week in England and Wales are already killed by a former or current partner (British Crime Survey, 2004) and proposed cuts will mean a significant reduction in lifesaving services for those affected by violence in the home. Comparisons of this survey with Annual Survey figures for refuge and outreach use for 2009/10 suggest that nationally over 70,000 women, and their children, might not be able to access a service after April 2011, putting more lives at risk. The Home Office estimates that each domestic homicide costs the government £1million (Home Office, 2004).

Women’s Aid is concerned about disproportionate impact of the cuts on specialist domestic and sexual violence services. For example, Devon’s domestic abuse services were recently cut by 42%  from 1st April – far more than the 27% overall cuts the local authority are implementing over the next 4 years, meaning that the domestic abuse services are taking an unfair proportion of the hit;

Women’s Aid point out that there never have been enough services to meet demand anyway – Women’s Aid’s annual survey shows that the country still only has 75% of the services recommended 35 years ago by a government select committee. They are concerned that there will be an increase in violence and domestic homicides, as well as increased pressure on shrinking health, local authority and criminal justice resources.

In a recent speech, Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said he expects local authorities to behave reasonably in the way they manage their relationship with voluntary and community groups and urged local councils to be reasonable by not passing on disproportionate cuts to local and voluntary groups. Women’s Aid has asked local authorities to listen to this and act responsibly and fairly to established domestic violence organisations that provide lifesaving services.

Women’s Aid is urging all MPs to join the national Save Survivors’ Services campaign to protect lifesaving services in their constituencies. To support the Saving Survivors’ Services campaign go to www.womensaid.org.uk.”

What I love even more about this one was when I went to save it the file name read onback.althoughidomissthesex.jpeg

Domestic violence can happen to anyone – if it’s happening to you then check out http://www.womensaid.ie/ to access help services. Even if you are not being abused in your current relationship, it’s no harm to check out the site and find out more about this issue which affects huge numbers of women.

Mary Mason, Director of the Islington centre, told us that these cuts will put women’s lives at risk, as they will not be able to provide a much needed victim support service. Three of the most important aspects of their service is helping women escape violence by helping them move into shelters, children’s counselling, and legal assistance.

The charity which now helps around 1000 women a year, will only be able to help around half of that amount in the future if cuts go ahead.

We talked to a number of women at the centre and they said that:

“Any woman can be affected. I’m an academic and I never thought this kind of thing happened to people like me.”

“I had no idea these kinds of services and people existed to help, I went through a year of violent abuse before I contacted the police.”

Many are rallying behind the charity such as local MP Emily Thornberry and Islington Council Leader Catherine West. The council have promised to contact the Boris Johnson at the Greater London Authority, but Solace have still not heard from them about any possible solutions.

We have also tried to contact the Greater London Authority, but they were unable to say if any funding will be given to Solace as yet.

They will suffer a 46% cut in total funds including a 63% cut of their high risk service that helps the most vulnerable women. Their children’s counselling and therapy services that helps some fifty to sixty children a year who have been abused, or who have witnessed abuse, will be terminated within the next three months when that funding runs out.

One in four women are abused in the UK. Around 1500 women in Islington report abuse every year and last year 7 rapes were recoded in just one month at the end 2010. It is important to state that this is not just domestic violence in the home, it’s everything from rape to psychological trauma. Children are also often affected by these types of violence both directly and indirectly.

Let us know what you think on twitter.

You can hear what services are offered at Solace:

If you would like more information or need help you can contact the centre:

Freephone 0808 802 5565

You can also contact:

Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline    0808 2000 247

If it is an emergency you should always call : 999

Director Mary Mason explains what services Solace provides to women and children.

Mary Mason by clairegilmore88

Its aim is to hammer home to Cardiff’s 30,000 weekend party-goers the reality that drinking too much can lead to manslaughter and a prison sentence.
South Wales Police run an operation every Friday and Saturday night called Cardiff After Dark. On Saturday, December 11 I joined officers on patrol in the city centre from 8pm until 2am to investigate whether Cardiff’s growing reputation for a binge-drinking culture poses a threat to public safety.

At 7.30pm I attended the briefing for the night’s operation along with eight police constables – all but two of whom were drafted in from neighbouring towns – and one inspector. 

Cardiff has a student population of approximately 25,000 – around 8% of the city’s total population of 324,800.  They provide the city’s pubs and clubs with week-long business, and this is reflective in the police’s response to manning the city centre at night:

At the moment Cardiff After Dark involves extra officers drafted in from neighbouring suburbs, as well as support from territotial officers. It runs on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year, but we are considering extending it to Sunday as well.

- Inspector Lyndon Jones, head of Saturday’s Cardiff After Dark Operation

The officers were briefed on the areas they would be covering – which concentrated on St Mary’s street upper and lower, Greyfriars Road and Queen Street.
Then we patrolled. I stuck with my two officers from 7.30pm until 2am, during which time I saw four fights, one cracked skull, one false fire alarm, and one man so drunk he had vomited and soiled himself. More drunk people approached the police outraged because they had been evicted or refused entry from nightclubs than I could count. Here is a map of my experiences:

The police don’t work alone when tackling violent crime on nights out. They rely heavily on partner agencies such as the Cardiff Street Pastors, volunteers who take care of people who have had too much to drink. They give water, clean them up and make sure they have a safe way of getting home.

On Saturday I met with the pastors at their base in Tabernacl Baptist Church and spoke with Martin, who told me about the work of the pastors and the people they help:

Street Pastors Interview by jmbriscoe

Shortly afterwards, we ran into trouble on Church Street.  A man had taken issue with the doorman of The Old Arcade and a fight had broken out.  While PCs Neil and Evans stepped in to subdue the men, I caught up with the doorman:

Tex interview by jmbriscoe

So what is it about Cardiff which elicits such a stern line taken by the police? I stopped people on the streets and asked them whether they thought Cardiff had a binge drinking culture.  Unanimously the response I got was yes, although of the 10 people asked, five said they thought the city’s binge-drinking culture was no worse than in most other major UK cities.

According to a report published earlier this year by Alcohol Concern, 88% of people in Wales drink alcohol. 52% of men and 38% of women admit to drinking more than the recommended amount.

Cardiff PCs Neil and Evans patrol Queen Street ahead of a busy night.

A YouGov survey, meanwhile, found that 64% of the Welsh population thought that the minimum age for buying alcohol should be raised from 18 to 21.

According to a Welsh Health Survey conducted in 2009, 45% of all adults, including those who said they did not drink, said they drink MORE than the recommended guidelines at least one day a week. 28% of those admitted to binge drinking.

But what constitutes a binge? According to Alcohol Concern, the official definition is more than 8 units in a single session for a man and more than 6 in a single session for a woman. A pint of lager is 2 units, so a binge for a man would be roughly 4 or more pints, and for a woman just over three. The NHS recommends a maximum daily amount of units for a woman as 2-3 and for a man 3-4.

Here is a table I made showing the amount of units in some of the most popular ‘night-out’ drinks (information sourced from Drink Aware). 25ml is the standard shot size in most pubs and clubs in the UK.

Another important factor to consider is Cardiff’s huge student population. Students, undergraduates in particular, provide pubs and clubs with a unique demographic for weeknight trade. As a result, the option is open to go out any night of the week and drink into the small hours.

A group of girls on a night out in Cardiff get excited when they spot some firemen

PC Tim Davies is the student liaison officer for South Wales Police and spoke to me about some of the resultant issues of students mixed with too much alcohol:

PC Tim Davies by jmbriscoe

Alcohol abuse is not just found on the streets of Cardiff.  According to a census conducted by Alcohol Concern of 1000 drinkers in Wales, 500 admitted to drinking only at home.  21% of drinkers questioned said they drank equally at home and in the pub.

Detective Superintendent David Bishop, the Head of South Wales Police’s public protection department, said alcohol featured in more than 80% of domestic incident arrests last year.

However, Rebekah Burns, the Cardiff manager of domestic abuse support charity Women’s Aid, tells a different story:

Rebekah Burns 1 by jmbriscoe

She explained that there is a link between domestic violence and binge-drinking in her experience, but it it not the one most commonly portrayed by media and police campaigns:

Rebekah Burns 2 by jmbriscoe

Taking the statistics into account, as well as recent reports that hospital admissions in relation to alcohol have reached a ten year high, it would seem that the police are somewhat justified in taking such a strong view with the One Punch campaign.

One of the most remarkable things about my experiences on Saturday was the fact that throughout the whole night not a single thing we saw seemed to remotely surprise the officers. Perhaps this is a naive observation and perhaps it is no coincidence that within the first two hours I had already seen a man lying in a chilling mirror stance to the One Punch poster-corpse.

In any case, seeing Cardiff’s night life through sober eyes is not one that does much to dispel the widespread press coverage of its binge-drinking culture.

For those in violent homes, specialist services provided by organisations such as Refuge offer the only realistic prospect of escape. People leaving abusive partners need secure accommodation and support from trained workers; they also need money, clothes, domestic goods, and advice on how to access services without disclosing their whereabouts. Children who have witnessed the sadistic abuse of a parent, or who have suffered violence themselves, need security and counselling.  Until now these packages of care and support have been provided by specialist agencies funded by local authorities, but this fragile structure is threatened.

In April 2009, the financial ringfence was removed from the Supporting People programme, the main mechanism by which local authority funds for housing-related services were reserved for vulnerable groups, including those experiencing violence in the home. Funds for Supporting People services may now be spent by local authorities as they wish.  Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in the draining away of resources from services related to domestic violence; few local councillors, seeing local authority budgets drastically reduced and with an eye on their electors, will argue that such services must be protected at the expense of schools and social care.

The economic downturn adds a twist of urgency. In evidence to a parliamentary committee, the Audit Commission noted that the decision to remove the ringfence ‘was taken in a different regulatory and economic climate’, and that ‘the recession brings further pressures and heightens risk’.  Studies show that compulsory redundancies are linked to increases in domestic violence. The Communities and Local Government select committee expressed concern that services for vulnerable people would be ‘lost in particularly challenging economic circumstances’.

The devolution of decision-making to local authorities is a laudable principle rendered meaningless by the systematic removal of power and money-raising mechanisms from the same bodies. For domestic violence services, it means the reintroduction of the postcode lottery; richer authorities will be able to maintain a decent level of provision, but those in poorer and more rural communities will not. In these areas, women and children will stay put because there is simply nowhere for them to go. Research undertaken by the Scottish government showed that Supporting People services saved money in the long run, partly by enabling providers to intervene before a  crisis point was reached. But such arguments have no traction with a government intent on eviscerating state provision.

There is an overwhelming need for national political leadership, and Theresa May, as both Home Secretary and Minister for Women, can make crucial interventions if she chooses. She could reverse the perception that domestic violence services are an optional extra by introducing a statutory obligation on local authorities to provide places of safety and support that adhere to minimum standards. She could recognise the expertise of specialist providers in the sector, and require authorities to protect service agreements; this would address the obscenity of local authority officers putting abused families on housing waiting lists for up to a year. A national strategy would also acknowledge that people fleeing abuse often cross local boundaries, and that reciprocal arrangements between authorities are crucial. She could reverse the misguided emphasis on high-risk cases, which means that a victim’s needs might not be addressed until the abuser’s violence has escalated – as it almost always will, in the end – to life-threatening levels.

Most crucially, May could reinstate the protection of funds. A report by New Philanthropy Capital quotes a numbing statistic: in 2006, a Devon-based donkey sanctuary raised £20m;  in the same year, the total funding disbursed to Refuge, Women’s Aid and Eaves Housing was £17m. If the future of domestic violence funding is left to discretionary local authority spending and the beauty parade of voluntarily funded good causes, rescued animals will continue to be better cared for than people who are being brutalised in their own homes. Alternatively,  we could demand more from those in high office, starting with a financial and social ringfence around some of the most miserable and voiceless people in our communities.

Last week, Women’s Aid workers and supporters from all over Scotland gathered outside the Scottish Parliament. They brought with them silhouettes to represent the women and children who are rarely able to speak out in public about what they need from services, and to remind MSPs that women and children need services because they are not safe at home
The lobby was addressed by Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie, who chairs the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on the issue.

“We have campaigned for many years to ensure that women and children suffering abuse get support and when needed, refuge to keep them safe. A lot of good work is being done by local authorities, health services, police and others, to raise awareness and help prevent abuse occurring, but we cannot talk of prevention without providing refuge for those in danger. When we are looking at cuts, we need to remember that any saving at the expense of refuge space, not only adds to the suffering of those seeking escape, but may also lead to other costs – hospitalisation, children in care, and don’t forget that 40% of all murders of women are by a partner or ex-partner.

“I am very concerned about the impact that cuts will have on women, children and young people who experience domestic abuse, and in particular the impact on services of losing three key funding streams – the Violence Against Women Fund, the Children’s Services Fund, and the Rape Crisis Specific Fund. The Scottish Government cannot simply expect local authorities, already under enormous pressure, to step in and fill the gap. Ministers need to ensure that funding is made available for these essential services”

The lobby of parliament marked the start of four weeks of local lobbying across Scotland, with events organised by local Women’s Aid groups in partnership with Scottish Women’s Aid.

Patterson (pictured above with Sarah Brown and Trish Halpin) was honoured for her work in the Merseyside area of Liverpool, where for 30 years she has been tirelessly working to help provide services for women who’ve suffered from domestic violence.

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