Despite the lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus crisis, incidents of domestic violence will continue, but because of the lockdown many such incidents will continue to go under the radar, and unreported.
This is the warning from Green Party Galway City West councillor, and Seanad Candidate, Pauline O'Reilly, who said that that courts will still sit for these incidents and that emergency services continue to be available regarding them.
"Violence is not just physical but crucially, under the Domestic Violence Act 2018, includes other forms of abuse such as emotional abuse or destruction of property," she said, and noted that a number of orders can be sought, including emergency orders which last for a limited time until a longer term order can be made.
"Those affected," she said, "are still entitled to seek to have perpetrators barred from their home and that message needs to get out."
