Today, Tuesday 8th September 2026, Willow Domestic Abuse Services (formerly known as Meath Women’s Refuge & Support Services) launched its 2025 Annual Report, showing an increase in contact from women affected by domestic violence. There was a 20% increase in helpline calls from 1,376 to 1,661 between 2024 and 2025. A total of 188 women and children leaving situations of domestic violence and abuse stayed in refuge and a further 588 women were supported in the community through outreach and court accompaniment services. Our specialist children and youth team supported a further 77 children in the community.

Commenting on the launch of the 2025 Annual Report, Frances Haworth, CEO says:

“Our homes should be a place where we feel safe, but for many women and children experiencing domestic abuse, that is not the case. Domestic abuse is a widespread and entrenched problem, with more than one in three women experiencing it in their lifetime. Demand for our services continues to grow and in 2025, we supported 692 women and 161 children across Co. Meath.

We are encouraged that more women are coming forward for support and that awareness of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is growing. However, significant barriers remain for women leaving abusive relationships, in particular, the cost-of-living and housing crisis. These pressures can make it much harder for women to leave, particularly when they are worried about where they and their children will live and how they will manage financially. We need to see greater access to safe, secure housing and practical financial support so that women have real options when they decide to leave an abusive relationship.

Domestic abuse is a whole-of-society problem that needs a whole-of-society response. Through Zero Tolerance Meath, we are seeing real progress in listening to and empowering communities to respond to and prevent domestic violence. By working together to have a more coordinated response to how we approach and prevent domestic abuse across Co. Meath, we can both create better pathways to safety for women and children affected by domestic abuse and tackle the root causes of gender-based violence. This gives us hope for the future, and we will continue working to ensure women and children across Meath can access the support and safety they deserve.”

Willow Domestic Abuse Services also highlighted the significant impact of donations and fundraising last year. “We are incredibly grateful to be part of a community that continues to come together to support women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Through fundraising and grants, we were able to provide 1,029 counselling sessions to women experiencing abuse, a 31% increase on the previous year, and 106 play therapy and adolescent counselling sessions for children, alongside meeting other essential costs such as maintaining our refuge building. The reality is that we still rely on donations each year to help run our service. The generosity of families, businesses and communities across Meath helps us continue providing this vital support, and we are incredibly grateful to every one of our supporters. It makes a huge difference and reminds those using our services that they are not alone.”

The full Annual Report & Financial Statements 2025 is available to view here.

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