The Irish Independent - Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Men also suffer violence at home

I wish to draw your attention to a report, 'New laws to protect battered partners' (Irish Independent, August 3).

The article starts off positively with: "Battered partners will be spared having to relive their ordeal in open court in a bid to secure more successful prosecutions."

However, as the article progresses, it speaks of how wives could secure barring orders against partners and "if the partner breaches the barring order, returns to the home and beats up his wife again".

While Amen welcomes Justice Minister Dermot Ahern's changes to the new Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the first strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, we would also like to remind people that domestic violence is a gender-based issue, and does not only affect women.

In 2010, so far, Amen has dealt with over 2,500 contacts.

Niamh McGrath
Manager, Amen,
Navan, Co Meath