‘I was beaten so badly, until he could beat me no more… He tried to drown me’ – Inside a women’s refuge
With domestic violence on the rise, safe spaces likes the ones provided by the Dublin charity Sonas are a lifeline for women and children fleeing abuse
Sonas Domestic Violence Refuge in Dublin. Picture: Hazel Coonagh
*To protect the identities and privacy of Sonas’ residents and staff members, all names and some identifying details in this article have been changed
With their children playing nearby and cups of tea in hand, this could be any group of women, at any coffee morning in the country. Instead, these women share a unique commonality. They fell in love with men who became very different people, a world away from what they first appeared to be. And now, in Sonas’ Dublin domestic violence refuge, these women now find themselves at peace. Safe. Deciding next steps and weighing up options.
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