Galway pharmacies launch new initiative to help domestic abuse victims
A new initiative to enable people experiencing domestic abuse and coercive control to receive support in their local pharmacy has been launched in pharmacies in Galway.
Safe Pharmacy, is being led by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) in partnership with Safe Ireland, An Garda Síochána and the HSE.
So far, 49 pharmacies in Galway have already signed up to the Safe Pharmacy initiative, from across the county – and the IPU expects many more to get involved.
The idea is to provide any person who is experiencing domestic abuse with a safe and secure location to seek support.
Participating pharmacies will provide access to a phone in a private consultation room and contact details for local support services. This will allow victims to make that important call, for example, to a family member, local specialist domestic violence services or the Gardaí.
Anyone who is experiencing a domestic abuse situation and wishes to seek the support provided is advised to look for the purple Safe Pharmacy sign on the window displays of participating pharmacies.
In the pharmacy they should ask to speak to the pharmacist in the consultation room, this happens multiple times a day in every pharmacy so will not appear out of the ordinary to anyone who is in the pharmacy at the time.
In the privacy and security of the consultation room the person can inform the pharmacist that they require support – and this will be provided.
Detective Superintendent Sinéad Greene of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau acknowledged that it was often the case that victims of domestic abuse and coercive control felt that they don’t have someone to turn to for vital support or to disclose what they are experiencing.
“The COVID pandemic made it even more difficult for victims to seek safety and in response, Gardaí continue to reach out to provide reassurance and to guide those affected to access local and specialised resources,” she said.
“In extending access to their private consultation room, the pharmacies that are part of Safe Pharmacy will be providing victims with a safe environment to access support, away from the perpetrator.
“Gardaí will be working closely with these pharmacies nationwide to encourage victims to access several free and confidential supports,” she added.