+34
A young woman and two others secured protection orders at Dublin's Dolphin House court against abusive parents and partners, as Judge Gerard Furlong granted the applications.
A young woman who alleged her father threatened to kill her if she did not follow family ideals and that both parents isolated her in the family home has obtained protection orders against them at the emergency domestic violence court at Dolphin House in Dublin. The court, one of only two sitting on Friday due to industrial action by public sector workers, heard harrowing details of abuse as Judge Gerard Furlong granted several ex parte protection orders.
Woman Describes Severe Abuse by Parents
The woman told the court her parents did not want her to be educated or to work outside the home as it was against family morals, and withdrew her from school to be home-educated for a number of years.
She said her father removed her bedroom door at one point and slept outside her room. On an occasion earlier this year, he attempted to strangle her and threw her down the stairs, she alleged.
He subjected her to emotional and financial abuse, threatened to kill himself if she did not follow his rules, followed her if she went anywhere, and both parents blamed her for him having a serious illness, she said. He would remind her of his illness in scary ways, she added.
Her mother also subjected her to financial, psychological and emotional abuse, she said. She was prevented from socialising or having contact with friends and was very isolated. On occasions, she was denied food, allowed only limited showers, and not permitted to use a hairdryer.
I fear for my safety, she said. I always felt safer when I am not at home. Judge Gerard Furlong granted her application for a protection order against both parents.
Other Women Seek Protection from Partners
In another application, a woman who alleged her long-term partner dropped a door on her after pulling it off its hinges sought protection from him. They lived together for many years from when she was 17, but in recent years she realised she had endured what she thought was love, she said.
While they were in a homeless hostel with their teenage children, the man came into a room and hit her, causing her to fall to the floor, after which he threw a mobile phone at her head. She had promised her children that if he hit her again, she would call the gardaí and screamed for her daughter to call gardaí, she said.
She was sitting with her back to the door of the room, blocking it because she was so scared he would get out to her daughter, and he pulled the door off the hinges and dropped it on her, she said. Gardaí removed the man from the hostel and charged him with assault, she said.
The man had not always been like this during their relationship, but he was consistently a narcissist and a gaslighter, she said. In more recent years, she had learned so much and realised he had been emotionally abusing her. He was a drug user with a very short fuse, she said.
He never hit their children, but they witnessed his behaviour towards her, she said. He had pushed her and held her throat a few times and thrown things at her. He once punched her so hard she fell and hit her head off a corner that nearly split me open, she said. He started kicking her until the kids begged him to stop.
He scares me, we are only homeless because of him, she said. She and the children are doing well away from him, she said. I do not want him to take any of that away from us. The judge told the woman he would absolutely grant her protection order application.
Third Woman Secures Order Against Ex-Partner
Another woman, whose children include a child with severe disabilities, got a protection order against her former partner. He was extremely controlling and verbally abusive to her during their relationship, calling her names including a derogatory term for fat, she said.
He sent constant messages asking where she was, had taken chunks out of parts of the kitchen, and smashed a hob. The woman sobbed as the judge read her sworn information, including that her young daughter had asked her: Why are you putting up with this?
Since she recently ended the relationship, he has bombarded her with abusive messages as well as flowers and messages saying he loved her, she said. She received 70 messages in one day, the court was told.
He had told her he would kill himself and demonstrated erratic behaviour in front of their children and a member of his family, the woman said. I feel I cannot continue like this, it is having a huge impact on me and the kids, the weeping woman said.
She cannot sleep or eat and finds doing her job difficult, she said. I want this to stop and us to get on with co-parenting the kids in a positive way. Granting a protection order, the judge said: I hope this works and gives you and the kids some peace.
The emergency domestic violence court was one of just two courts sitting in the Dolphin House complex on Friday due to industrial action by public sector workers. Three other family courts did not sit due to the action. During Friday's hearing, Judge Furlong was given a cake by solicitor Sandra McAleer to mark his 26th year sitting as a District Court judge.
Dolphin House Domestic Violence Protection Orders Judge Gerard Furlong Dublin Industrial Action Sandra Mcaleer
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Silent Irish Western Finds New Life in Dublin TheatreA new stage adaptation of Maurice Walsh's story reinterprets the classic Irish silent western for a contemporary audience, blending silence, memory and cultural identity in a unique theatrical experience
Read more »
Dublin Airport cap move could face legal challenge, minister warnsMinister Peter Burke tells tourism conference that Government has no plans to tighten work permit laws
Read more »
Workday to cut jobs in Dublin HQ but will press on with AI centre of excellenceUp to 80 roles thought to be at risk although tech giant says it remains ‘committed to Dublin’
Read more »
GPA seeking extra €700 in government grants for all inter-county playersThe 39% increase would help to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, the GPA say.
Read more »