The kick inside…
ith Boots having opened their Safe Room in 2020, a new service to enable people experiencing domestic 
abuse and coercive control to receive support in their local pharmacy has been launched in pharmacies in Wicklow.
partnership with Safe Ireland, An Garda Síochána and the HSE.
It will 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 An Garda Síochána.
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.
access to safe points of contact in practically every town and village in the country. Pharmacies are a trusted part of our communities with highly trained and compassionate staff. By partnering with Safe Ireland, An Garda Síochána and the HSE we hope that this initiative will provide a pathway from abuse for those who are experiencing it.
“For anyone who is in need of help, I would say to them: ‘All that’s needed is that you ask for help. You will be prioritised. You will be believed. You will be supported’.”
“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. 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.
“This important initiative will complement all our work in the area, particularly around Operation Faoiseamh which specifically focuses on protecting the victims of domestic abuse. Gardaí will be working closely with these pharmacies nationwide to encourage victims to access several free and confidential supports.”