In what comes as a first across the UK and Ireland, the Foyle Family Justice Centre – a one-stop facility for those affected by sexual and domestic abuse – has opened its doors in Londonderry.
The model, which is popular in the United States, aims to reduce re-traumatisation by reducing the number of times survivors are forced to recount their stories, according to the BBC.
The end goal of the facility, they say, is to increase offender accountability, as well as access to services for survivors.
The facility is set to house representatives from more than 20 domestic abuse agencies, thus allowing it to provide a wide range of the necessary services.
“Our vision is to save lives and to create really good interventions early on so we can start breaking the cycle of domestic violence early on,” said Marie Brown, chief executive of Foyle Women’s Aid and Foyle Family Justice Centre. She added:
“If somebody comes in the door they can get their domestic violence order, they can see the housing people, they can sort benefits if they need to. They will get the service right on tap and that is very different to the current system we have.”
Alyson Kilpatrick, chief commissioner at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, said:
“With the opening of The Family Justice Centre, domestic violence and abuse will be dealt with as a grave human rights violation requiring the concerted efforts of all agencies.
This is good for victims and the authorities charged with protecting them.”
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