Help save Regina Coeli House and victims of domestic abuse
PCS is asking members to sign the petition (https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-women-s-hostel-open-save-regina-coeli-house?link_id=0&can_id=026a68131e33612d5af2c13cda9e8e21&source=email-keep-our-womens-hostel-open&email_referrer=email_1412027___subject_1861674&email_subject=keep-our-womens-hostel-open) calling on communities minister Deirdre Hargey to fund this vital service.
The Belfast Domestic Violence Partnership (https://belfastdvp.co.uk/about-us/partners/) (BDVP) has a 6-year action plan (https://belfastdvp.co.uk/themainevent/wp-content/uploads/year-6-action-plan-domestic-and-sexual-abuse.pdf) which clearly calls on the Department for Communities to ‘provide funding to support emergency refuge provision, other accommodation-based services and floating support services’ by March 2022.
The BDVP is made up of organisations such as Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid, Police Service Northern Ireland, NSPCC, Victim Support, and many others.
To allow Regina Coeli House to close would be a shocking betrayal of the partnership’s work and the people who need the service.
In the year 5 progress report (https://belfastdvp.co.uk/themainevent/wp-content/uploads/year-5-progress-report-domestic-and-sexual-abuse.pdf) against the ‘Stopping domestic and sexual violence and abuse strategy’s year five action plan (https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/justice/year-five-action-plan-stopping-domestic-and-sexual-violence-abuse-strategy_0.pdf) (2020-21)’ it is estimated that there are on average 6 cases of domestic homicide each year in Northern Ireland. In 20 months since the start of Coronavirus 11 women (https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/northern-ireland-is-most-dangerous-place-in-europe-for-women-41095214.html) were killed. Northern Ireland is the most dangerous place for women in Europe.
Violence against women is a hate crime. Help prevent murder by slow motion, sign the petition (https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-women-s-hostel-open-save-regina-coeli-house?link_id=0&can_id=026a68131e33612d5af2c13cda9e8e21&source=email-keep-our-womens-hostel-open&email_referrer=email_1412027___subject_1861674&email_subject=keep-our-womens-hostel-open). Women need your support and they need Regina Coeli House more than ever.
If you have been affected by domestic and sexual violence and abuse and need support, contact the 24-hour domestic and sexual violence helpline on:
phone: 0808 802 1414 (Freephone)
email: 24hrsupport@dvhelpline.org (mailto:24hrsupport@dvhelpline.org?subject=Domestic%20and%20sexual%20violence)
text: 'support' to 07797805839
Useful resources
- Read the PCS Knowledge article: what is domestic abuse (https://pcsunion.force.com/pcsdigital/s/article/What-Is-Domestic-Abuse)
- Use the Dash risk checklist (https://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Dash%20risk%20checklist%20quick%20start%20guidance%20FINAL.pdf)
- Visit the NIDirect web page on domestic violence and abuse. (https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/domestic-violence-and-abuse)