By Dr Michelle Walsh (MOVE), Rachel Fayne (SAOL Project) & Dr Sheila Gilheany (AAI)
The starting point for any conversation regarding alcohol and its role in domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) is to state unequivocally that alcohol is not, and never will be, an excuse or explanation for DSGBV. Many people consume alcohol and do not perpetrate violence against their partner or children, and not all who perpetrate domestic violence use alcohol. Unfortunately, what we do know is that alcohol acts as a commercial accelerant of violence and research shows that, in incidences of domestic abuse, it appears the role of alcohol is one of a facilitative nature, a contributing factor.
DSGBV remains a pervasive issue in Irish society, impacting women, men, and children in diverse and devastating ways. However, the reality is that domestic violence is overwhelmingly perpetrated against women, and against children. 35% of women in Ireland, more than one in three, have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse from an intimate partner and according to Women’s Aid ‘Femicide Watch’, 275 women have died violently between 1996 and the present day (as of 8th June 2025). Shockingly, it remains the case that the most dangerous place for women is their own home as the nightmare of violence and abuse most commonly will be at the hands of a current or former intimate male partner.
Many studies have demonstrated significant associations between alcohol consumption and rates of criminal violence, and we can say with some confidence that more drinking tends to result in more violence, and less drinking tends to result in less violence.
There are estimates of alcohol being a factor in up to 70% of domestic violence incidents in Ireland. International research also demonstrates links between domestic violence and big sporting occasions as well as bank holiday weekends with their associated marketing and increases in alcohol consumption.
The inverse is also true. Studies in Australia have found that a two-hour reduction in late night alcohol trading hours in the late 2000s was associated with a 29% drop in reports of domestic violence as well as with sustained reductions in non-domestic assaults.
The consistent link between alcohol and domestic and gender-based violence has led to the recognition of alcohol as a “risk factor” for intimate partner violence by the World Health Organisation. However, in Ireland, there appears to be a reluctance to acknowledge this issue in policy making, and organisations working in the DSGBV space will tell you first hand of this failure.
MOVE – Men Overcoming Violence – work in the area of domestic violence, with a primary aim of supporting the safety and wellbeing of women and their children who are experiencing, or have experienced, violence/abuse in an intimate relationship. They do this by facilitating men in a weekly group process that involves them taking responsibility for their violence and changing their attitude and behaviour.
The staff at MOVE see daily the significant danger many women and children are exposed to by living with DSGBV, and we understand that alcohol can lead to detrimental outcomes and accelerate risk. Indeed, in 2023 they found that drug and alcohol use was a factor in 50% of their referred cases. Therefore, what we can see is that alcohol use is one of the most consistent risk factors for domestic violence.
Such horrific situations are compounded by a shortage of resources in terms of domestic violence shelters, but also of programmes, like MOVE, which seek to engage perpetrators and make them take responsibility for their actions and change attitudes and behaviours. Currently, in many of MOVE’s programmes we cannot accommodate new entrants until 2026, this is despite daily calls from men seeking help for their actions, especially those for whom alcohol use has made their conduct worse. However, without the capacity for Move to help them, it means women and children are living in danger, with the risk of issues exacerbating due to alcohol very live.
Alcohol and drug use should never be used as an excuse for domestic abuse, but it is important to acknowledge that the presence of alcohol or drug use in an abusive relationship is a complicating factor that not only makes it more difficult for both the victim survivor and perpetrator to receive support but also leads to increased risk of serious injury or homicide.
Women who use alcohol or drugs are 2 to 5 times more likely to experience gender-based violence than the general population. Organisations such as SAOL, who work with women who experience severe and multiple disadvantage, estimate that 90% of women who access their services have had a lived experience of gender-based violence. For many women their experience of substance use and domestic abuse is inextricably linked. It is therefore crucial that that government and policy makers acknowledge that for many individuals their keyworker in their addiction service will be the first person to become aware of the domestic abuse. It is so important that those keyworkers are trained and resourced as to how to respond.
As one academic paper has pointed out “Ignoring the presence of alcohol will neither eliminate its role in intimate partner violence nor prevent its being used as an excuse for violence. On the contrary, the more we know about how alcohol affects violence, including intimate partner violence, the better able we will be to develop effective prevention strategies and treatment responses.”.
Given the scale of the issues in Ireland it is essential that we advocate for proven policy solutions, including reducing alcohol use – which is recognised by the World Health Organization as an important strategy for reducing violence against women, amongst other policies. It is of note that the national government in Australia in 2024 agreed to review all alcohol legislation with a view towards reducing family violence.
Critically, we cannot forget the thousands of children who witness domestic abuse – they are victims in their own right and in need of immediate support, such as through the introduction of Operation Encompass, a Garda led, school-based early intervention safeguarding scheme designed to support children and young people who experience domestic abuse, the traumatic impact of which can last a lifetime. This programme has been under consideration by government for years but with no clear implementation date.
While alcohol is clearly a feature of much violence and trauma in Ireland, this is hidden in government policy and action. For example, the current Zero Tolerance strategy on DSGBV does not reference alcohol at all. Licensing legislation does not explicitly point to the public health value in restricting alcohol sales and there is significant pressure from the alcohol industry to extend licensing hours. This silence gives the alcohol industry a free pass to recklessly promote their products and demand access to more selling opportunities.
As it happens, the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, holds the brief for both alcohol licensing and DSGBV. There will be a new DSGBV strategy from 2026 and the programme for government states that licensing laws will be updated. There is a real opportunity to join the dots and ensure that alcohol’s green card in this area is revoked. That is why on 2nd October we are going to Dáil Eireann to brief TDs, Senators, and political staff on the importance of recognising the role of alcohol in DSGBV.
About the authors:
- Rachel Fayne has been working with vulnerable communities for the past 20 Years. She has a strong passion for social justice and most of her career has focused on frontline harm reduction services for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use issues. In 2019 she joined the team in the SAOL project, a female specific community addiction service. As part of her work in SAOL she supported the development of the DAVINA project; SAOL’s response to women struggling with the dual issues of substance use and DSGBV. She currently works as the team leader of the DAVINA project, which provides frontline support to women experiencing or recovering from DSGBV and specialist training and resources to professionals.
SAOL Project works with women who experience severe and multiple disadvantage – primarily addiction but also including combinations of (but not limited to) poverty, domestic and interpersonal violence, mental ill health, sex work, coming from care, homelessness, engagement with criminal justice and trauma (including the trauma of having children removed into care).
The DAVINA project within SAOL supports women whose experience of gender-based violence is impacted by substance use. It offers individual and group support, psycho-education and crisis intervention including court accompaniment, safety planning and sign posting.
See more about SAOL at saolproject.ie
- Dr. Michelle Walsh is the CEO of MOVE Ireland, based in Clonmel, which is a national programme funded by Cuan to work with perpetrators of Domestic Sexual and Gender based Violence. Michelle is also a board member of WWP EN (working with perpetrators European network) She completed her PhD within the Unesco Child and Family Research Centre in NUI Galway. She undertook a nationwide study which looked at the Effects and Understanding of Sexual Harassment among the Irish Adolescent population. The findings from this study were launched in July 2021 by RCNI, entitled Storm and Stress and can be found on the RCNI website. Michelle holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Supervision and Professional Practice and is also a fully accredited psychotherapist and clinical supervisor.
Michelle worked with RCNI (Rape Crisis Networks Ireland), as the Clinical Project Lead, on the Clinical Innovation Project, evaluating Counsellors and Survivors experiences of working online and also quantifying counsellors training needs and developing programmes to address these deficits. The research emerging from this project, entitled “A Safer Space”, was published in 2022. A former Board Member of Rape Crisis Midwest, Michelle previously worked there as the Training and Development manager, delivering and developing training for all sectors of the community in relation working with and understanding Sexual Violence and its impacts. Michelle is passionate about preventing, and ameliorating, the harm of sexual, domestic, and gender-based violence.
MOVE Ireland (Men Overcoming Violence) works in the area of domestic abuse, with a primary aim of supporting the safety and well-being of women and their children who are experiencing or have experienced violence/abuse in an intimate relationship. MOVE Ireland does this by facilitating a group behaviour intervention programme for domestic abuse in a number of locations across Ireland. The programme called ‘Choices’ is free, non-judgemental and available to men who would like to change their behaviour. MOVE Ireland also has a dedicated Domestic Abuse Support Team who are available to offer information and support to women whose partner/ex-partner is on the ‘Choices’ programme.
See more about MOVE at moveireland.ie
- Dr Sheila Gilheany is CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland
