The impact of rural crime across the country was discussed at this year’s Women & Agriculture conference, where a Dublin farmer shared his story of drug addiction and recovery.
Chaired by Jacqueline Hogge, a panel of experts came together to discuss the prevalence of rural crime, with a particular focus on domestic abuse and drug-related intimation.
Detective Garda Inspector Patricia Gill from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau spoke of the fact over 55,000 calls reporting domestic abuse were received by An Garda Síochána last year, while chief executive of Longford Women’s Link Tara Farrell delivered the sobering statistic that one in three women in Ireland experiences some form of domestic abuse in their lifetime.
Liam told the audience that by the time he quit drugs, he had accrued €50,000 worth of drug debt and said the pressures on him as an only son whose path into farming was decided for him made him particularly vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse.
If you have been affected by this conversation, help is available at Women’s Aid national 24-hour freephone helpline 1800 341 900 and from the HSE's living well website, which has information about drug and alcohol services across the country.
