WIT Press Release
Title: Minister Ahern to open international conference on domestic violence
Release date: Thu, May 29, 2008
Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform is to present the opening address at an international conference on domestic violence at Waterford Institute of Technology on Thursday (May 29).
Hosted by Cosc, the national office for the prevention of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, the two-day conference will hear from academics and front-line practitioners working in this area in the United States, Wales, Scotland, England, Australia and Canada.
Speaking ahead of 'Stopping Domestic Violence – What Works?', Minister Ahern said: "There has been a welcome and growing recognition in recent years of the seriousness and widespread nature of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in this country and the resources deployed to tactical the problem reflect this. A multi-agency approach spanning the full range of health and social services, An Garda Síochána and the courts provides the best prospect for successful interventions in these difficult situations.
"It is also a sad fact that a background of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has emerged in several murder and manslaughter trials in this country during the last decade or so. This serves to underline the importance of providing ready access to a comprehensive range of services and supports for victims of this too often hidden category of crime.
"Since being established less than a year ago, Cosc have being making good strides towards delivering on their remit as a dedicated Government office with the key responsibility to ensure the delivery of a well co-ordinated response across Government to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
"There are both State and non-governmental structures and services in place to deal with these crimes and to support those affected. Cosc strongly supports all of the existing services and works closely with the service providers who support victims and treat perpetrators. The conference in Waterford provides an excellent opportunity to share experiences with those working in this field across several countries. It is through this that we can build a system in Ireland that will best serve victims and put them at the centre of our thinking."
Prof Kieran R Byrne, Director, Waterford Institute of Technology who will also address the opening session, added: "This is an area of criminal activity that of its nature often happens behind closed doors and involves a high level of intimidation and threat that can make victims reluctant to seek help or report specific incidents. It is perhaps this that leads to what is regarded as a low level of reporting. Another disturbing feature of this type of violence is that perpetrators are very often well known to their victims - presenting the perceived need to maintain the outward appearance of good relations continuing.
"The conference being opened by Minister Ahern will allow what I expect to be a very useful and productive sharing of experiences over two days and provide Irish policy makers and service providers with a valuable opportunity to learn about the various models of intervention in place in other countries. This sharing will, I understand, feed in to the development of a national strategy."
Other speakers at the two-day conference on Thursday and Friday (May 29/30) will include Sean Aylward, Secretary General, Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform; Charles J Hynes, District Attorney, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York; Wanda Lucibello, Chief Prosecutor, Special Victims Division, Office of the District Attorney, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York; Prof Marianne Hester, Bristol University; Jan Pickles OBE, Director, Cardiff Women’s Safety Unit; Prof Elizabeth Stanko, Senior Advisor to the Metropolitan Police; Prof Desmond O’Neill, Chairman, Elder Abuse National Implementation Group; Dr Carmen Gill, Director, Centre for Family Violence Research, University of New Brunswick, Canada; Mark Coulter, Male Victims Development Officer, Men’s Advice Line; Prof Ann Taket, Deakin University, Melbourne; Dr Gina Netto, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh; Thangam Debbonaire, founder, Domestic Violence Responses and Linda Regan, Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University.
As well as Prof Byrne and Mr Aylward, session chairs include Angela Kerins, CEO, Rehab Group; Peter Fitzgerald, former Deputy Commissioner, An Garda Síochána; Dr Maurice Hayes; Kathleen O’Toole, Chief Inspector, Garda Inspectorate and Sylda Langford, Director General, Office of the Minister for Children.
Themes to be explored over the two days include the integration of interventions tackling domestic violence; effective multi-agency cooperation; justice sector interventions; domestic violence risk assessment tools in practice; specialised versus non-specialised courts; health sector contribution to tackling domestic violence; housing sector interventions on domestic violence; integrated data grid on domestic violence; domestic violence and men and domestic violence and older people.
