Domestic abuse charity warns Irish women about signs of dating abuse

Domestic abuse charity Women's Aid have launched a campaign to warn Irish women about the signs of dating abuse and controlling relationships.

The #TooIntoYou campaign urges an awareness of emotionally abusive relationships and how to spot coercive control. Characters such as ‘Snooping Simon’, ‘Controlling Conor’, ‘Send Nudes Niall’, and ’10 missed calls Ben’ represent the various ways that young women in Ireland experience dating abuse through their boyfriends and exes. According to Women's Aid, many women experiencing dating abuse are still being turned away from the courts. The charity's director, Margaret Martin, said that years of campaigning meant that the Domestic Violence Act would provide protection for victims of domestic and dating abuse. However, the provisions have yet to be put in place. "For years we highlighted the gap in law that meant that young women who never lived with their boyfriends could not avail of safety orders because of the cohabitation rule," she said.

"This has changed under the new Act. "However, despite being passed by the Oireachtas and signed into Law by President Michael D Higgins in May this year, the provisions have yet to be commenced.  Until this happens, young women are still being left unprotected and left at risk.”

Martin also said that young women are even more at risk of abuse than their older counterparts. She explained that it can often be difficult for victims to see what is happening to them as abuse. She said:

"39 percent of young women (aged 18-29) in Ireland have experienced emotional abuse by a boyfriend or partner (...) "A stark reminder of this risk is that one in every two women, aged between 18-25, killed in Ireland since 1996 were murdered by their boyfriends or exes.”

The #TooIntoYou campaign is encouraging an open discussion about healthy and unhealthy relationships while also providing women with the tools to spot the danger signs associated with dating and digital abuse. Women's Aid's 10 key signs of emotional abuse include:

• He complains you spend too much time with your friends
• He dictates what you wear
• He constantly checks up on you when you're not together
• He accuses you of cheating on him, and
• You are afraid to break up with him

The full list of signs can be found here.  You can contact Women's Aid's 24hr national freephone helpline on 1800 341 900.