Charles Ward: Jennie's Law and the fight for long-term support
Charles Ward welcomes Jennie's Law and the new publicly available register of judgments, calling it a life-saving resource for people entering or in relationships. He warns that 2026 is already seeing rising deaths and rising demand for domestic abuse services, especially in Donegal, and urges secure, long-term funding for survivors.
Charles Ward praises Jennie's Law and thanks Jenny's family for their campaigning. He says the register of judgments will help people identify histories of domestic violence and convictions, potentially preventing harm.
Ward highlights that, halfway through 2026, the number of women killed is already climbing and that recent events in Ballymena underline a continuing epidemic of violence against women. He draws attention to the increasing complexity and volume of cases seen by domestic abuse services in Donegal.
Speaking with Jessica Gallagher, clinical director of the Uplift Project, Ward details sharp demand: 20 contacts a day and five new referrals weekly. He describes a Donegal case of prolonged abuse leaving a woman in her 60s with intergenerational trauma, PTSD and suicidal crises, showing the limits of crisis-only support.
Ward argues that recovery requires long-term, person-centered support and that essential services are hampered by short-term grants and fundraising pressures. He calls for domestic abuse funds to remain in Donegal and for services to be recognised and fully funded as essential public services to allow life-saving work to continue.
Jenny's Law and the register
Charles Ward praises Jennie's Law and thanks Jenny's family for their campaigning. He says the register of judgments will help people identify histories of domestic violence and convictions, potentially preventing harm.
Rising violence and local impact
Ward highlights that, halfway through 2026, the number of women killed is already climbing and that recent events in Ballymena underline a continuing epidemic of violence against women. He draws attention to the increasing complexity and volume of cases seen by domestic abuse services in Donegal.
Service demand and a case study
Speaking with Jessica Gallagher, clinical director of the Uplift Project, Ward details sharp demand: 20 contacts a day and five new referrals weekly. He describes a Donegal case of prolonged abuse leaving a woman in her 60s with intergenerational trauma, PTSD and suicidal crises, showing the limits of crisis-only support.
Funding, recovery and a call to act
Ward argues that recovery requires long-term, person-centered support and that essential services are hampered by short-term grants and fundraising pressures. He calls for domestic abuse funds to remain in Donegal and for services to be recognised and fully funded as essential public services to allow life-saving work to continue.
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Transcript
I want to start by welcoming Jenny's Law and the publicly available register of judgments will be a life-saving resource as people in relationship or considering relationships with a person will be able to see whether they have a history of domestic violence or convictions and I want to take this opportunity to thank Jenny's family particularly Jason for the work they've done on this over the last few years and I have no doubt without them we wouldn't be where we are now today and this could not come at a more crucial time we're just halfway through 2026 and yet a number of women have been killed in Ireland already is overtaking the figure for the whole of last year and today's events in Ballymena echoes us as it continues we have an epidemic of violence against women it's not stopping and domestic violence services in Donegal in recent days it's clear that there is a demand for services domestic abuse services are it's increasing and it's becoming more and more complex I spoke in depth with Jessica Gallagher who is a clinical director of the uplift project who works alongside women who are affected by domestic abuse, control and sexual violence in Donegal she said the demand for the services demonstrates the scale of unmet need they receive 20 contacts from service users each day alongside five new referrals every week and it's clear that the significant gap between the crisis and intervention and long-term recovery of many victims shockingly been left to source their own support. Now I'm particularly struck by the case in Donegal of a woman in her 60s who's left with intergenerational trauma, prolonged domestic abuse, sexual violence, depression, PTSD and repeated suicidal cries who did not receive substantial person-centered supports she desperately needed and to rebuild her life support has to be extended beyond just a crisis intervention full and proper recovery requires long-term support and given women the opportunity to truly rebuild their lives yet organizations what provides essential life-saving services are often forced to continue to operate in uncertainty regarding funding forcing them to devote valuable time and energy securing resources instead of expanding supports for availability to victims and survivors and vital services supporting victims should not have to be completed for funding fundraising shouldn't have to happen short-term grants to remain open it's a ridiculous situation domestic abuse funds should be relocated and unspent funds in Donegal should remain within Donegal. These services should be recognized as essential public services and should be fully funded and allowing people to continue this life-saving work