The shortage of affordable childcare means women who are abused by their husbands cannot take jobs and so get out of the situation, a report says.
The report, "Domestic Violence: the Tallaght Experience", published for today's International Day Opposing Violence Against Women, says women abused by husbands and partners are very concerned at the effects on their children, who may never have seen their fathers doing anything positive.
Today Women's Aid begins 16 days of Action Against Violence Against Women, an annual international event. Fifty women who have been murdered in Ireland in the past four years will be commemorated outside Leinster House this morning when Ms Mary Banotti MEP lights a candle in their memory at 11 a.m. A public commemoration will be held in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin, at 4.30 p.m.
The Tallaght report draws on the experience of women living in violent situations and on the views of community and statutory groups. It is published by the South West Women's Refuge.
It reveals that community welfare officers who make payments to people in emergencies are highly regarded.
On the other hand, "there was an obvious hostility towards Eastern Health Board social workers, while at the same time it was acknowledged that they are over-burdened in their work by the excessive demands made on their time," the report says.
One parent said social workers are so busy looking for marks and bruises on the children that "they don't see the woman". But there was high praise for probation officers who are seen as doing practical things for the women such as getting information for them or channelling them into community groups and vocational training.
There was considerable criticism of the length of time which it takes gardai to respond to calls for help. They said gardai know too little about domestic violence and need more training to deal with it.
Lack of childcare means some women cannot even go to counselling, the report says. Others cannot go for the training or jobs which would help them to leave the situation.
The effect of the violence on children was a constant theme voiced by women, it says. Women "were particularly concerned with the fact that many children in violent situations lacked any positive male role models".