History

The need for a domestic violence service in the Dublin 12 area was first identified by women from the local area who raised concern about the issue and highlighted the lack of a local support service at consultative meetings of a local women's forum.

A core group of local community activists came together to explore how a local community project working on the issue of domestic violence could be established. Initial relationships were built with Women's Aid, the Family Resource Centre in St. Michaels Estate, Inchicore and the Inchicore Outreach Centre. These organisations held considerable expertise on the issue and offered advice, support and guidance to the Dublin 12 working group in their initial discussions and plans.

The Dublin 12 Domestic Violence Service Management Committee was officially formed in early 2001. The management committee consisted of local community activists and a number of statutory and voluntary agencies who were working on the issue of Domestic Violence within the Dublin 12 area.

Its initial responsibilities included identifying resources for the project, recruiting staff and volunteers and project planning and management. A limited company was set up and registered as a charity. Women's Aid agreed to participate on the newly formed management committee as a facilitator of the planning process and offered initial training to the group.

The Dublin 12 Domestic Violence Service thereby developed as a community response to domestic violence. It is a community based initiative which developed from identified local needs. The management, staff and volunteers mainly come from the local area.

The project developed relationships with members of local community and voluntary organisations and state agencies - for example An Garda Siochana, the Health Services Executive (HSE), Sundrive Citizen Information Centre, Kimmage Walkinstown Crumlin and Drimnagh (K.W.C.D) Partnership, Dublin City Council, Dublin 12 Women's Action Group and local women's groups. 

Seed funding for the service was secured from the K.W.C.D. Partnership, South Western Area Health Board (now HSE), and Dublin City Council. This funding provided the service with resources for training the management committee and volunteers, printing of cards, posters and leaflets advertising the helpline service and the purchase of two telephones. A local community service provided the project with its office in Crumlin.

The Dublin 12 Domestic Violence Service (D12DVS) was officially launched in November 2002 with funding from the KWCD partnership and Dublin City Council in the Guinness Iveagh Grounds, Crumlin.

In December 2002, the South West Area Health Board (now HSE) provided funding for a part-time project worker post to work with the service. In 2004 a second part-time position was made available with the support of the K.W.C.D. partnership and the project's own fundraising activities.

An external evaluation of the service was carried out in 2005, which showed that the service was vitally needed in the community. The HSE took on board the recommendations outlined in the evaluation report and now employs two domestic violence workers to work with the service and provides funding for a part-time helpline co-ordinator and core costs for premises.