BREXIT HAS DAMAGED efforts to combat violence against women on both sides of the border, a first-of-its kind report has found.

Published today, the North South Co-operation to Tackle Violence Against Women study reveals how cross-border complexities have further endangered domestic abuse victims, leaving them in “precarious” situations without support.

Some women have been forced to return to their abusers due to “new and significant” barriers to safety and justice created by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the report found.

Service providers say the jurisdictional challenges, including the loss of enforceable UK mechanisms in the Republic, has left them feeling their “hands are tied”.

The National Women’s Council (NWC) and Women Aid Federation Northern Ireland (WAFNI) have now called on both governments to increase cross-border and all-island supports for survivors of intimate partner violence.

“It is a very sad indictment to this island that 58 women have been murdered since 2020,” Sarah Mason, WAFNI CEO, said. 

“We need meaningful cooperation across the Island to address violence against women, this is vital if we hope to reduce our high levels of femicide.” 

Some protection orders unenforceable

Outlining how Brexit has “indirectly impacted” efforts to address violence against women, the report details how NI protection orders aren’t recognised south of the border.

It states: “In practical terms, Brexit meant that while the UK recognises EU Domestic Protection Orders, this is not necessarily the case the other way around.

“This means that any orders made in the UK in respect of domestic violence will not be automatically recognised in the EU, adding a burden, risk and uncertainty to victims-survivors”.

Women fleeing abuse across the border with such orders will remain unprotected until an additional application is made to a court in an EU member state.

WAFNI also highlighted “significant concerns” on how Brexit is impacting victims and survivors’ access to services, particularly those living on the border.

That includes how crossing the border to access support in NI is “no longer an option” for EU citizens living in the Republic, as they are now considered third country nationals in UK legislation.

NWC Director Orla O’Connor said: “There are multiple barriers to accessing supports, particularly for certain groups like migrant women, disabled women, and Traveller and Roma women. 

“These difficulties can be compounded if women who live on the border attempt to access services over the border, which may be closer to them. Brexit has only added to the complexities here.”

Women fleeing abuse across the border aren't being protected properly due to Brexit complications. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Over 60% of women killed in own homes

The report says that despite significant progress in both areas, domestic violence and abuse remains “critically high” across the island of Ireland. 

According to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data, there were 32,875 domestic abuse incidents reported in the North between April 2022 and March 2023.

This equates to an average of one call every 16 minutes, the report said.

In 2023, Gardaí received 59,625 emergency calls reporting domestic abuse, an average of more than one call every 10 minutes. 

Since 2020 to September 2024, 24 women have been murdered in Northern Ireland. Six of those women were murdered between January and July of this year,

The region has one of the highest femicide rates in Europe per capita. 

In the Republic, 57 women have died violently between 2017 and 2023, according to Women’s Aid Femicide Watch.

Overall statistics show that 63% of women have been killed in their own homes. 

The joint NWC and WAFNI report urged:  “More must be done in NI and ROI at a societal level to stop abusive relationships from escalating to the point where a femicide occurs.”

Call to end ‘pro-contact’ culture in courts

Aside from post-Brexit complications, the report highlighted how more needs to be done in both jurisdictions  to support victims-survivors through the criminal justice system.

It said “high attrition rates and low conviction rates” persist due to “inadequate responses” to victims’ needs.

There also needs to be a change in “pro-contact culture” in both jurisdictions  which “emphasizes parental access over safeguarding concerns”.

This leads to the “minimisation of the threat” posed by perpetrators and “compromises the safety of both children and mothers”.

“Civil society organizations in NI and ROI advocate for the need to end this culture and assert that children’s voices must be heard in custody matters,” it added.

Mason added: “Today’s report calls on both governments to coordinate on violence against women to ensure any woman who needs support can access it. 

“The Shared Island Initiative must centre violence against women as a cross-cutting issue. It is particularly crucial that funding for supports in the North is reinstated and ramped up significantly.”

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Patricia Devlin is an investigative reporter with The Journal Investigates.

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