October News - Women Through the Century: Domestic Violence
Overcoming Obstacles
In the past two years a Pavee Point training course began to explore the specific needs and issues for Traveller women and children who experience male domestic violence in the home. One of the participants, Lena Joyce, talks about some of their findings.
When Lena started her Pavee Point training course she realised she was dealing with an issue that is taboo in the Traveller community. "It's not something that's openly discussed. It's a very private matter," she says.
"When people hear a Traveller woman is in a very bad domestic situation, they often wonder why she doesn't get up and go. There are refuges for women and there are other women who can help. Nowadays, there is no excuse for staying in a bad situation," says Lena.
It was only after the group of 12 had spent time in women's refuges and information centres and had discussed the matter openly they realised there were specific things preventing Traveller women from accessing help services.
"It's like there's a big wall or barrier you have to climb over," she says.
Getting information on what help is available is often the first obstacle. Very few halting sites have public phones. And Traveller men mostly have access to mobile phones, as they use them for work. So, telephoning a help agency can be complex.
Happening upon information at the local GP's office, the local school, hospital or shop is made unlikely by the low levels of literacy among Travellers. If there happens to be a notice or poster, Traveller women often cannot understand it.
If a Traveller woman does manage to get to refuge there are a new set of obstacles she must overcome.
"For starters, there are very few refuges to cater for settled women, let alone Traveller women," she says, "And they are often under resourced and full to capacity."
Some refuges don't allow boys over 12 years of age to stay there. In this case a Traveller woman and her children may be sent to a Bed and Breakfast. This means they must leave the Bed and Breakfast in the morning and can only return in the evening.
"The notion of traipsing around a town or city all day with their children is almost unthinkable for a Traveller woman. Being a Traveller, she could attract abuse. And there could be other repercussions. Word could get back to her community and when she returned to her community her name would be blackened," says Lena, "A Traveller woman has to protect herself. And that includes protecting her good name," she adds.
Lena continues: "But, say you do get a room, there are particular obstacles you must face as a Traveller woman.
"The receptionist at the refuge may not realise that many Travellers have poor literacy skills. And while managers at refuges may be aware of all the issues for settled women they won't be aware of the fears Traveller women have and the pressures they're under."
Lena explains that a Traveller woman could arrive at a refuge with four or five children. As Travellers often have families larger in number than the national average - she may have more children to care for. This may not always be taken into account in refuges.
Once in a refuge, a Traveller woman may find herself sharing a living space with a settled woman for the first time. This can add to the stress in an already stressful situation. And a Traveller woman may face prejudice and racism from settled women in the refuge or from refuge staff.
There will also be cultural differences in the way Traveller mothers and settled mothers deal with their children. And for Traveller children, there is often a dearth of play materials that take Traveller culture into account.
In terms of her own community a Traveller woman can risk causing a family feud by leaving a violent domestic situation. Because Traveller communities are close knit, a situation between a husband and wife can turn into an interfamily dispute. And because many Travellers work with members of their extended family, the economy of the community could be badly effected.
This situation can backfire on the woman who can end up being blamed for all the family's woes.
And Traveller women can't always depend on the Gardai to help them in a violent situation. Firstly, barring orders can only be obtained if a woman is living on an official halting site.
Often, Gardai visiting a halting site to deal with a domestic disturbance, will end up making enquiries in relation to other legal matters - car insurance and motor tax, for example. A Traveller woman is then put in a situation where she must choose between protecting herself and protecting her community.
"If a Traveller woman gets up and leaves her community it will be the hardest thing she has done in her life," says Lena, "She is a brave woman and if she has gotten up and decided to make a fist of her life she deserves encouragement."
This year Pavee Point has secured funding from the Eastern Regional Health Authority that will see 3 Traveller women - Lena Joyce, Winnie McDonnell/nee O'Reilly and Winnie McDonnell continue the work. They will promote an understanding of the specific needs and issues for Traveller women experiencing violence and encouraging services to address the these particular needs.
The project will, this year, publish "The Way Forward" - a paper looking at the future challenges in addressing violence against women in the Traveller community.