• Government’s national awareness campaign ‘What Would You Do?’ is part of National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021
• #mydoorsopen aims to highlight and raise awareness of domestic violence
Cork East Fine Gael TD and Minister of State at the Department of Justice, David Stanton and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD have joined together to support the #mydoorsopen social media campaign, as part of the national domestic violence campaign ‘What Would You Do?’ launched in 2016.
Minister Stanton said: “What Would You Do? Campaign is a key part of the Government’s Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence which is running up to 2021. The campaign highlights the important role we all have as family, friends and colleagues in helping to prevent domestic violence and in supporting people affected by it.
“As part of the public awareness campaign videos were filmed last night in Dublin city centre featuring two simulated on-street scenes of domestic violence, one showing abuse against a woman and one showing abuse against a man. Public reaction was captured to highlight the role that third parties can play in addressing domestic violence. The videos are available on the Department of Justice YouTube page at https://youtu.be/hp3EPI3uegA and also on the Twitter account @DeptJusticeIRL. I would ask social media users to share these videos with the #mydoorsopen to help to raise awareness about domestic abuse.
“The Government is investing €950,000 in each of the two years 2016 and 2017, along with €200,000 from the Dormant Accounts Fund, in a campaign to encourage people to be proactive domestic violence which often happens behind closed doors but is more common than most people realise. Domestic violence is often unreported but research indicates that in the region of 213,000 women and 88,000 men in Ireland have been severely abused by a partner at some point in their lives. Also 2 in 5 people know someone who has experienced domestic violence.
“Domestic violence is a pernicious evil that occurs in all social classes, genders, ethnic groups, cultures and among people of every educational background. It can have devastating physical, emotional and financial consequences. To facilitate discussion on domestic violence I would ask people to share #mydoorsopen and also to visit the website www.whatwouldyoudo.ie to get information on what they can do if they encounter domestic violence”, concluded Minister Stanton.
