Galway Rape Crisis Centre will be receiving €444,250 this year to help it combat, domestic, sexual, and gender based violence in the community.
This is part of a €25 million funding package announced Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone this week for 16 frontline rape crisis centres around Ireland.
The Minister said that the funding for these services this funding level for this year is €1.5 million higher than in 2018 Galway Rape Crisis Centre receiving an additional €40,000.
The increased funding will be used for a generalised boost to all sexual violence services, employing new outreach workers for women and children affected by domestic violence to improve access to support and services, and a specific initiative to reduce waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence.
2019 will also see the national roll out of a 12 week healing programme for children who have been impacted by domestic abuse, which aims to help parents and guardians understand what their child went through and support their healing.
“As Minister I have seen at first hand the invaluable work of frontline agencies supporting women and children targeted by domestic, sexual and gender based violence,” Minister Zappone.
“I have also listened to the voices of those forced out of their homes by threats, abuse and violence.”
The Minister added that the new initiatives will help Ireland meet its obligations under the Istanbul Convention ratified on march 8.
The Istanbul Convention is an international legal instrument aimed at addressing the fight against domestic and sexual violence created by the Council of Europe.
Minister Zappone concluded by saying “We all have a role to play in ensuring the safety of those forced to flee an abusive partner, often with their children.”
