The Seventies
1976
Squatting at 24 Pump Street
September 1976 – The Derry Women’s Action Group took over an empty building on Pump Street, as part of their ‘Operation Desperation’ to highlight lack of accommodation for battered wives, unmarried mothers, alcoholic women and homeless teenagers in Derry.
Read the Derry Journal Article from 21st September 1976
1978
Tenancy Legalised
November 1978 – Tenancy for the building was legalised, £50,000 was given for reconstruction and the group was then affiliated with the Women’s Aid Federation which was established in Northern Ireland in the same year.
Women Protest Outside Derry Courthouse
Women protest outside Derry courthouse about the removal of the women only waiting room.
1981
Domestic Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1980
Domestic proceedings order was extended to Northern Ireland, enabling women to be protected by law in domestic violence cases.
1986
Police Response To Wife Assault – A Northern Ireland Study.
October 1986 – NI Women’s Aid Federation published research on family violence. This was carried out by Pamela Montgomery & Viv Bell.
1988
NIHE Introduce The Homeless Person’s (NI) Order
NIHE introduce the Homeless Person’s (NI) Order and they include women breaking away from violent partners into the Homeless Person’s Order, so that they would be considered homeless and given priority in re-housing.
1991
Rape Within Marriage Now Recognised As Crime
October 1991 – Rape within marriage now recognised as a crime within the court of law.
Read the Rape Within Marriage Law 1991 Document
Introduction of Police guidelines on domestic violence.
1992
New Purpose-built Refuge Complete
March 1992 – New Purpose-built Refuge Completed on Foyle Road, Derry.
Read the Derry Journal Article From 27th March 1992
Domestic Violence in NI: Inter-agency Approach Vital
1992/1993 – An important piece of research commissioned by DHSS looked at domestic violence in NI, conducted by Monica McWilliams & Joan McKiernan, emphasising the importance of an inter-agency approach to improve quality and consistency of support. Titled ‘Bringing It Out In The Open, Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland’ the findings of this research were published in January 1993