Children can be the "forgotten voices" of domestic violence, according to Siobhán Leahy, Acting Assistant Manager of Cuan Lee, a refuge for abused women and children in Cork.
It comes after a new €363 million government strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which was announced this week.
The so-called 'Zero-Tolerance' Plan includes tougher penalties on perpetrators of violence, as well as a doubling of refuge places.
Of the plan's 144 actions, there's an effort to support child victims and survivors.
Speaking to RedFM News, Siobhán Leahy says that Cuan Lee is delighted by this development:
"We really recognize that children, their lived experience of domestic violence often goes on for years, and they can be the forgotten victims. Children have now been recognized as witnesses and as individual victims and survivors of domestic sexual and gender based violence. One of the key milestones under the protective pillar of the strategy is the development of national support services for children. This will be trauma informed therapeutic counselling services and trauma informed parenting support."
