The Irish Charities Expo 2012 was a first of its kind exhibition that got charities and businesses, along with members of the public, together in the same venue so that they can network, develop partnerships and share best practice.

We met some very interesting people and spread the Sonas message to as many people as we could. We got plenty of compliments on our branding – our pinks, oranges and purples stood out from the crowd. They are strong colours that embody female empowerment, which is what Sonas is all about.

Our Sonas tattoos were also very popular – tattoos were displayed on hands and faces all around us. We have a great amount of materials for all manner of fundraising events now. Do get in touch if you would like to organise an event for us to make sure we can continue to provide our much needed services.

Thanks to all of the people who helped out on the Sonas stand on the day!

Julie’s story

I suffered a great deal of mental and emotional abuse. When I got a Sonas house in 2008 my confidence was at a very low ebb. My ex-partner was a heavy drinker and he was verbally and emotionally abusive all the time. It really affected my confidence and I can see in hindsight I fell into a severe depression. We had a daughter and I eventually left when she was three. I was very scared he would harm her.

I spent two years in Sonas and it was fantastic. Slowly but surely my confidence increased and I became very involved in the community. I completed a few courses, including assertiveness/confidence building and I made new friends. I moved on from Sonas in 2010 to a lovely home where me and my daughter are doing well. Thank you Sonas.

Mary’s Story

When I arrived to Viva House with two children I was very upset, distressed, terrified, lost. I thought ‘What am I doing here?’ But as soon as I slept in my apartment I realised that my life and my children’s lives were going to change forever. The apartment was so nice and clean and you could cook there for yourself. I felt like I came into a different world where everyone cares about you. You can find somebody to talk to anytime. That was important for me because I didn’t speak to anybody for a very long time. It was a huge relief for me to let all of this stuff come out.

It was great to know that somebody is fighting for you and your kids and you are not alone. I’ve received and learned so much information. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be here; thanks to this place I’ve got my independence and my kids back. The staff here have helped me get my confidence back and to realise that there is no excuse for abuse, control, humiliation and violence.

Quotes from service users

Each year we evaluate our service to ensure we are on the right track and working well for the women and children in our service. Below are some of the quote women have written about their time in Sonas.

“I was in bits when I first arrived. I was strung out and faced losing my kids…Now I feel like a totally different person. With huge support I’ve managed to break free from addiction and leave the bad company behind. For the first time ever, me and the kids are happy.”

“My confidence has grown massively since I began with Sonas. I’m over the moon to be moving to a home to call my own for life!”

“I never thought I’d be able to live on my own but now I feel ready for it. I love the new apartment and I’m really excited about getting a puppy and settling in.”

“I feel Sonas stops me going to family home – due to safety planning work and advice on risk involved.”

“I was treated with the utmost of respect and helped with all of my problems.”

“I have been listened to, taken seriously, measures put into action so situation can be resolved. I can learn about mine and others’ behaviour in a safe, secure and respectful setting. Can learn to accept situations with help and support.”

“I found the staff of Sonas were extremely helpful in everything I put to them.”

“I love talking to my key worker. She is so easy to talk to when I have any problems. The rest of the staff are lovely people to be around.”

“I have found all the Sonas staff to be very helpful in any difficulties I have had in the past and supported me throughout.”

“It’s great here and I love it – I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

“I have received excellent support and the apartment I have been offered is like coming out of a bad dream.”

“If it were not for the support I received I would not be here and moving on with my life.”

“I got all the support I wanted and the staff are very professional.”

“Sonas helped me get back on my feet. We are very grateful.”

“From the time here I have had excellent support and understanding. The staff here are very caring and understanding and I have built up so much confidence in my time here with the help of the staff and all around.”

“The staff are so supportive with anything you may be going through”

“I am most grateful to Sonas for giving me the time I needed to plan a secure new life for myself.”

“Because my keyworker is always there for me when I need her. And that makes me feel that she and Sonas itself cares for my issues.”

“I have learned that living on my own is okay. I have nobody and I am more independent.”

“You know you are not alone and get great help in whatever problems you may have to face. The staff does an excellent job and builds many women’s confidence and ability to move on in life and great children’s’ support too.”

“The safety I feel, someone has got my back. I can be independent, but information and support are there when needed. I have got my life back again. I have been helped through a number of painful issues. My confidence is growing daily thanks to the support.”

“They have given me help and support when I thought there was none.”

“I learned it wasn’t my fault I was violently abused and how to live on my own again and survive.”

Sonas Housing has launched an e-publication Pathway to a Safe Home, its strategic plan for 2012-2014, as an e-publication. The three-year strategy outlines the vision for Sonas to support women and children who have experienced domestic violence situations move on to independent living.

The focus on the strategy is delivering quality services in good-quality housing. It also focuses on advocating for positive change to enable women and children experiencing domestic violence have greater access to services and to ensure domestic violence in any form is not tolerated in Irish society.

Central to these objectives is good organisational development with a focus on cost-efficiency and quality. Please click on the image above to view the e-copy version of the document.

Representatives from many different NGOs and civil society groups were in attendance. The theme was ‘Inclusion’. Following the reception President Higgins made an excellent speech on the importance of active citizenship in Ireland today followed by music and poetry.

We’re looking for women to join our team taking part in the Flora Dublin Women’s Mini-Marathon 2012, taking place June 4th 2012.

Our target:

Our aim is to have 50 women take part in the event, with each raising €50 in sponsorship money. If we achieve this, we will raise €2,500 for Sonas, enabling us to fund direct project work with the women and children in our services.

Come and lend your support to Sonas in Liffey Valley, this Sunday 11th March 2012.

The Sonas team will be out in force this Sunday in Marks and Spencers Liffey Valley, from 12 until 6 pm to raise money for activities for the women and children in our services.

If you would like to volunteer some of your time and to lend a hand,

fill in a volunteer form

or alternatively, please email Camilla at  fundraising@sonashousing.ie  with your name and number.

If you’re in the area please come down to say hello and look out for the Sonas team in  t-shirts, banner and collection buckets!

Thank you

The ‘Killing me Softly with his Words’ campaign raises awareness of verbal abuse which entails name-calling, insults, humiliation, intimidation, threatening comments and mind-games. The Sonas poster campaign aims to highlight the damage and the continual ‘chipping away’ of a person that results from receiving constant negative messages.

“As the poster shows, verbal abuse can in effect slowly deaden someone from the inside out,” said Rachel Mullen, chairperson of Sonas Housing. “If a woman is experiencing physical abuse she can name what is happening and there are bruises and scars to prove it. Verbal abuse can have a hugely debilitating effect emotionally and psychologically but because of the lack of tangible evidence it can be harder for women to name it or to show its impact. No one goes to A&E because they have been humiliated and ridiculed and it’s difficult to file a complaint to the guards to say that your partner isolates you from your friends.”

Continual verbal abuse can be just as destructive as physical abuse, with victims saying that because of its hidden nature it can actually be worse. Reports show that psychological abuse, particularly ignoring and ridiculing victims, contributes to depression and low self-esteem. Psychological abuse has also been linked to anxiety, panic attacks and suicidal thoughts[1]. This is consistent with evidence from Sonas Housing which shows that 35% of domestic violence victims who apply for a Sonas house experience mental health problems as a result of living in abusive situations. The stress caused by living with long-term abuse can also have long-term health consequences such as high blood pressure and asthma.

According to Women’s Aid one in five women experience domestic abuse in Ireland, with this figure considered to be an under-representation given the hidden personal nature of the issue and the fact that, according to the HSE, a woman experiences at least 35 separate incidences of abuse before disclosing to another person.

“It is important for victims of domestic violence to recognise verbal abuse as a part of the overall pattern of abuse they are experiencing” said Deirdre Murphy, manager of Meath Women’s Refuge. “Women living with controlling partners may have internalised a lot of the verbal abuse and believe they are the problem because they have been continually told that by their abusive partner. What makes it even more difficult to recognise is that often an abusive perpetrator may quickly switch between verbally abusive and more caring behaviour which means the woman is often unsure of what to expect and continually off-balance.”

The advert, produced with funding from Cosc, the national office on domestic and sexual violence, will feature in women’s washrooms in shopping centres, pubs and community centres. It aims to help women recognise the destructive power of verbal abusive and recognise that there are places they can turn to for help.

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For further information

Download a copy of the poster here and an information sheet on Verbal Abuse here.

For further information please contact Paula McGovern on 01 8720068, pmcgovern at sonashousing dot ie.

Note for editor

Sonas Housing operates Viva House, a women’s refuge in Dublin 15, and eight supported housing complexes for women and children homeless because of domestic violence. Meath Women’s Refuge provides crisis accommodation and longer-term housing for women in Navan.

Both Sonas and Meath Women’s Refuge work with women who have suffered verbal and psychological abuse as well as those who have suffered physical violence.

Jayne Adams, Viva House project leader, Minister Joan Burton TD, Paula McGovern Sonas Housing and Fingal County Councillor Peggy Hamill

We were delighted recently when Minister Joan Burton TD visited our refuge service Viva House. Minister Burton was one of the key figures who really pushed for the development of the refuge of the area. She was integral in getting the site and in designing the refuge space, particularly ensuring there was a good focus on a space for children and teenagers. Fingal County Councillor Peggy Hamill also visited Viva on the day.

We were delighted to welcome them to the refuge and would like to thank them for their hard work in ensuring the service is up and running.

Migrant women in a domestic violence situation face a number of challenges linked to their legal status in the country being dependent on their spouses and having no recourse to public funds.

As well as the seminar there is a poltical briefing to be held in Buswell’s Hotel on Tuesday, 6th March from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

You can download the coalition press statement here.

Sonas and mycharity.ie

We’re delighted to say that Sonas is now a fully affiliated member on the mycharity.ie website.

Mycharity.ie provide a fantastic facility for all of you looking raising money for Sonas to set up your own individual, personalised  fundraising page, so that you can now spread the word about your event online and through email, without having to go knocking on doors.

It’s easy to use, allows you to set targets and keep track of the amount you’ve fundraised, and money raised is processed directly into the Sonas fundraising account.

An ideal way to raise sponsorship money for all those doing the Dublin Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon in June!

For more information, please see our profile http://www.mycharity.ie/charity/sonashousing/

To set up your personal fundraising page, go to www.mycharity.ie