More than 500 women and 1,000 children sought refuge from domestic violence last year in the Dublin area, new figures indicate.
The Sonas Housing Association, which provides transitional housing for victims of domestic violence, said a total of three refuges had provided shelter for families on hundreds of occasions. Some of the these figures represented repeat cases.
The association disclosed the figures at the launch of a campaign which coincides with the UN's "16 days of action on gender violence" campaign. The Government also used the occasion to announce a national media campaign to help change attitudes towards domestic violence.
This campaign also seeks to encourage victims of domestic violence to seek help by ringing a national freephone helpline number operated by Women's Aid - 1800 341 900 - or by contacting their local support services.
Sonas said domestic violence was so great that there were not proper facilities to meet the demand for support.
The association's Muireann Morris said: "Violence against women is still difficult for some people to discuss. How much more difficult then to accept that this number of children are subjected to levels of abuse which forces their mothers to take such drastic action and, worse again, that there are not the proper facilities to help them?"
Minister of State Frank Fahey, who chairs the national steering committee on violence against women, said greater awareness and openness of violence in the home was crucial.
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