Almost half of the men who took part in a recent national survey say they are unaware of the impact of domestic violence on women.
Commenting on this finding Wendy Heuson, the manager of Waterside House, the local refuge for women and children experiencing violence in the home, describes it as a “gap in awareness and consciousness”.
She warns that the longer this exists the more time it will take to make Galway a safer place for women and children.
The study of men’s perceptions on violence against women reveals that while men are less conscious of the prevalence or consequences of domestic violence they are willing to take action to prevent abuse.
The survey was undertaken by Behaviour & Attitudes for SAFE Ireland, the national organisation of domestic violence services.
It was highlighted this week by COPE Galway Waterside House and Domestic Violence Response Oughterard - two local members of SAFE Ireland. Both services provided support to a total of more than 550 women experiencing domestic abuse in Galway city and county last year.
The publication of the survey coincides with the roll-out of the MAN UP campaign across Galway. It puts the spotlight on the crucial role they can play in ending violence against women and children.
MAN UP is asking men across Galway to stand up and declare zero tolerance to violence against women. Men are being asked to log on to the MANUP.IE website to show their support for the issue.
The study further illustrates that more than half (52 per cent ) of men and 79 per cent of women perceive domestic violence as being common occurring in one in five or more households.
One in 10 men and one in four women perceive it as being very common. However, nearly half - or 45 per cent - of men claim to be unaware of the impact of violence on women. Women are more conscious than men of a range of physical and emotional consequences and dangers faced by women and children living with violence.
Both men (97 per cent ) and women (96 per cent ) agree that men have a role to play in preventing violence. They are twice as likely as women to say that they will talk to a man to tell him to stop abusing. Women are more likely to provide information to a woman about a helpline or domestic violence service.
Men are also less likely to know a woman living in a violent situation. One in eight men say that they knew a woman experiencing violence while one in five women say they know a survivor.
Spokespersons for Domestic Violence Response in Oughterard and COPE Galway Waterside House say that the gap in awareness between men and women indicates that there is “work to do to make violence against women an issue that men know more about”.
Men are essential allies in ending violence, says Elizabeth Power, the manager of Domestic Violence Response Oughterard.
“This survey tells us that they know this and are willing to MAN UP. But it also tells us that domestic violence is not necessarily something that is part of their consciousness, part of their world, something that they know about as much as women.”
According to the latest statistics nearly 8,000 women and more than 3,000 children in Ireland sought support from a domestic violence support service, including Domestic Violence Response Oughterard and COPE Galway Waterside House. Almost one in five women nationally report that they have experienced violence at some point in their lives.
