One of the downsides of the Christmas and New Year celebrations is the dramatic rise in domestic violence. It is a sad fact that the various refuge centres in Ireland fill to overflowing because Christmas is a stressful time for families where problems such as lack of resources, alcoholism or other substance abuse already exist.
The midlands is no different from any other part of the island when it comes to the problem of domestic violence and this year it has geared itself up to meet the problem.
Earlier in the year a regional committee was set up to develop a strategy to help victims of domestic violence by formulating an action plan.
It was launched by Ms Mary Wallace, Minister of State for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who also chairs the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women in conjunction with the Midland Health Board.
The local committee has representatives from the Rape Crisis centres in Athlone and Tullamore, Tullamore Women in Crisis, Tullamore Travellers' Movement, Athlone Community Services Council and the Women's Community Projects Action Group in Mullingar.
Other groups represented include the parish group in Tullamore, the local Garda, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the Midland Regional Authority, the Probation and Welfare Service, the Legal Aid Board and Heath Board personnel. Earlier in the year, following extensive consultation and submissions which had been sought from people who are involved and working in the area of domestic violence, priorities in the region were identified.
Top of the list was the need to have trained personnel to help the victims because without it an efficient and effective service cannot be delivered.
The second priority identified was the need for more space and greater development of the sole refuge for victims of domestic violence, Esker House, which is located in Athlone.
According to a Midland Health Board spokesperson, the committee has already started training people from the various organisations involved so they can go back to their own organisations and train others.
"In that way, we will extend a skills base which can be extended throughout all the organisations involved. The committee has decided that this training-the-trainers is the way forward," she said.
The centre in Athlone will be under extreme pressure around Christmas and the New Year, but this year there will be more trained personnel available. "People working in the whole area of domestic violence say Christmas is a nightmare time. Let us hope that this Christmas will be different," she said.