Women and children in Carlow in need of support from an abusive situation can now avail of a safehouse.
It comes as new figures released yesterday show 546 incidents of domestic abuse were reported in the local Garda Division so far this year.
It’s also understood the number of protection orders locally has risen since the new school year started.
Carlow Women’s Aid and the county council has opened a facility at a private location to provide temporary respite for locals.
And Hanora Gilchrist says they offer some normality there for those who use it:
“We’ve linked in with the courts and the guards so when an interim barring order has been issued, and there’s a window there for about 48 hours where it can escalate the risks. We can offer that space to women and children for a short time until the safety plan is in place and the agencies are supporting that family. And the children are not being pulled out of school”
