Valerie’s Law and strengthening action for women fleeing domestic abuse must be prioritised in programme for Government – Kathleen Funchion MEP

Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, has urged the incoming Irish government to prioritise women and children fleeing domestic abuse situations, including the provision of adequate refuge services, investment in housing, education to combat sexism and misogyny and amend current legislation to close a significant child safety loophole.

MEP Funchion highlighted the worrying rise in domestic and gender based violence as part of a panel discussion on Upfront with Katie Hannon on RTÉ this week.

She highlighted the continuing lack of refuge services, calling for urgent action to ensure every woman fleeing violence has access to safe spaces and adequate housing.

MEP Funchion said:

“I would like to commend the families who shared their own deeply heart-breaking stories last night, it would be impossible to not be moved by the dignity and quiet determination of the families so devastated by the loss of their cherished daughters and sisters.

“A holistic all of government approach is what is necessary to address some of the barriers to women seeking help; the courts service and flipping the focus to victims rather than perpetrators is vital, and whilst I acknowledge the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence has made some progress, it is clear from the stories shared last night that we have some way to go.

“I would like to commend the work of victims, survivors, and their families. I fully support David French’s campaign for legislation that would prevent parents who intentionally kill their partners from retaining guardianship rights over their children. David’s sister Valerie was murdered by her partner in 2019. Children’s safety and rights must be prioritised, and I believe they should not be left in the care of a parent who has committed homicide against another partner.

“It is essential as a society we continue to tackle misogyny and sexism through our education systems, youth clubs, sporting organisations and amongst our peers. There are a number of programmes throughout the country that could be rolled out nationally, one that I am aware of is the Amber Women’s Refuge’s StartSafe initiative. This programme is a vital resource for educating teens on healthy relationships and abuse, the state should adopt this model for broader use.

“Addressing online abuse of women, we must strengthen action against digital violence, including revenge porn and deep fakes.

“As a voice for Irish women in the European Parliament, I will continue advocating for stronger protections for women suffering from abuse at a European level.”