'Panic Rooms' For At Risk Women

[y2krog2000]

Families at risk of domestic violence in Northern Ireland could soon have panic rooms installed in their homes.

A reinforced safe room has been fitted in a Housing Executive home in Antrim to protect a mother and her children.

The room - the first of its kind in Northern Ireland - is designed to keep a violent partner out long enough for the police to arrive.

The scheme means women fleeing a violent partner can stay in their homes instead of having to seek refuge.

It is the result of a joint initiative by a number of agencies including the Housing Executive and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Patsy Smyth of the Housing Executive said the rooms provided a place of sanctuary. "Depending on the victims needs, we would include locks, security doors, film on the windows, grills, high sensing cameras - anything that they need which would make them feel safe in their own home.

"In the past, the victim has had to leave their home and we have to find them temporary accommodation and it means uprooting the children, finding new schools; a whole new way of life.

"This now gives the tenant a choice - to remain in their homes, to remain in their own community, in their environment."

It costs in the region of £1,500 to kit out such a room but that compares to the £6,500 it costs to move a mother and her child into temporary accommodation for one year.

The pilot scheme in the Antrim/Ballymena area will run until next July.

However, it is hoped to offer the tailor-made panic rooms to all Housing Executive tenants in Northern Ireland, and subsequently extend the scheme to the private sector.

Similar schemes already operate in parts of England. They also include fireproof letterboxes, strengthened doors and second phone lines.

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | 'Panic rooms' for at risk women

Waste of money as the violent one will probably be the one with the keys.