Bishops ‘Day for Life’ focuses on ‘scourge of domestic abuse’ 

‘The Scourge of Domestic Abuse’ was the theme chosen by the Irish Bishops for this year’s Day for Life which was celebrated last Sunday.

The Day for Life is celebrated annually and is dedicated to raising awareness of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition.

In a statement on the issue, the Bishops said one in four women and about one in six men suffers from domestic abuse in their lifetime. “According to a 2018 report, almost nine out of every ten women murdered in Ireland are killed by a man known to them. This fatal violence is at the most severe end of the spectrum of domestic abuse. Women’s Aid says that the dangerous patterns present in abusive relationships are all too often dismissed and not taken seriously, which can put women at risk of serious assault or homicide.”

They added: “It is a deeply regrettable fact that men, women and children suffer domestic abuse at the hands of husbands, wives, parents and other family members. Violence of this kind should never be tolerated or justified. It is an offence against the dignity of the human person.”