A safe haven in a time of crisis

Published date23 November 2022
"It was recognised instantly as a large-scale social problem, not reducible to poor personal choice," explains Mary McDermott, Safe Ireland's chief executive. "People reacted openly and many simply wanted to know how they could help and what they could do. Even people in healthy relationships, locked down with beloved partners and children, found it incredibly difficult. That created real empathy for those who have to live in toxic relationships all of the time."

Safe Ireland members range from Lifeline Inishowen in Donegal to West Cork Women Against Violence, and from Aoibhneas Domestic Abuse Support in Dublin to Domestic Violence Response in Galway, as well as the national helpline and referral service, Women's Aid, in Dublin.

In the midst of this crisis, Airbnb reached out to Safe Ireland to see if they could help support the NGO's increasingly important work. The initial support from Airbnb provided immediately accessible emergency hotel accommodation to women at risk of domestic violence. In total it funded 4,500 emergency hotel bed and board nights in family rooms. "The cooperation of hotel managers and staff, and the dignity and care provided by them to victims has been both moving and effective," McDermott says.

While the scheme, also known as Project Ruby, ended earlier this year, this hotel emergency accommodation model enabled Safe Ireland to explore new options for emergency accommodation and they are working positively with the Government to see how this can be integrated into the full range of crisis and safe accommodation needed for victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Following this project, Airbnb extended its support with a generous donation of €350,000, which enabled Safe Ireland to launch its Survivor Fund.

"The Survivor Fund allowed all member services to provide flexible funding to women for immediate and practical support, for example, food or nappies, tyres for their car or phone credit," says McDermott.

Safe at Home

Airbnb has now provided a further donation to Safe Ireland of €250,000, which Safe Ireland intends to fund a third initiative, the Safe@Home Scheme. This pilot scheme will explore ways to enable women to stay or return to their own home safely.

This new scheme will identify the best ways to ensure safety at home including developing successful local inter-agency and frontline service support, including security experts, Gardai, local domestic violence services and other relevant parties. Each case will be treated...

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