The killing of a woman in what appears to have been a domestic dispute in Roscommon on Sunday brings to 92 the number of women killed in Ireland in the same number of months. All of these murders were carried out by men.
According to Women's Aid figures, of the 92 killings referred to, 62 women were murdered in their own homes. Of the 55 cases that have gone to court, 40 per cent of those convicted of the murder were the woman's partner/spouse or ex-partner.
Among the calls made to the Women's Aid helpline are those from women who have been threatened with both legally and illegally-held firearms.
Ms Rachel Mullen of Women's Aid said it was very difficult for a woman who had been threatened by a legally-held weapon to prove that she had been threatened, because it was her word against her partner's word.
In cases where the woman is threatened with an illegally-held weapon - where a partner is involved in criminal activities - the situation is even worse, since that partner will usually demonstrate no fear of the Garda and the victim will also be wary of retaliation.
The organisation said most callers to its helpline feel that the law is unable to protect them and it called for the introduction of a register of domestic violence abusers, such as the one which is in operation in Britain.
Women's Aid also criticised elements of the media for describing the incident in Roscommon as a "tragic domestic incident".