More than a third of women fleeing domestic violence last year were turned away from refuges, according to a report being launched today by the Minister for Housing, Mr Noel Ahern.
The report, Safe Home, published by the Sonas Housing Association, says most women were accompanied by children.
Of 18 refuges in the State, 15 gave figures for the study. Some 1,700 women and their 2,889 children were accommodated last year. However 1,083 women and their children were turned away.
The report says that on average women experience violence 35 times before leaving home.
Sonas, which provides transitional housing for women and children fleeing violence, commissioned independent consultants Ms Monica O'Connor and Ms Niamh Wilson for the study.
In at least 50 per cent of cases where women were turned away it was because refuges were full. Some others were turned away because of alcohol or addiction issues.
"If a woman shows up at a refuge at 10 o'clock at night with her two children and the place is full, well the only thing the staff can do is refer them to the out-of-hours homelessness service," said Ms Muireann Morris, director of Sonas.
The 18 refuges across the State can accommodate 111 women and 353 children. There are three refuges in Dublin though none in the entire north-west of the State and just one serving the midlands.
Ms Morris said new refuges were needed in Dún Laoghaire, Blanchardstown and Dublin city centre, and that there should be at least one in every region.
When women cannot be accommodated in a refuge they are either forced back to the family home or are accommodated in B&Bs or hostels.
"Reviews of the use of B&Bs have been almost universally negative," said Ms Morris.
Of 1,464 cases surveyed last year just two were accommodated by their local authority. Some 629 went home to their partner or husband, 133 went home without partners/husbands and 97 went home with a court order barring their husband or partner. Of those remaining, 111 went to private housing, 185 to family/friends and 166 unknown.
The report recommends that women be given the maximum support to remain in their homes.
