Social Affairs Correspondent

The number of calls about domestic violence to free legal advice centres (Flacs) increased by almost a quarter last year, while calls about workplace bullying increased by 36 per cent compared with 2018, the organisation’s annual report warns.

Published on Thursday, the report highlights high levels of discrimination against people from the Roma community, as well as a significant increase in calls about employment rights.

Flac saw a 9 per cent increase in calls to its helpline, to 12,469 last year. Of these 24.1 per cent related to family law, 13 per cent to queries about Flac’s service, 11.5 per cent about employment law, and 5 per cent to housing rights.

Of the 3,008 calls about family law, 41 per cent related to divorce or separation; 25 per cent were about custody, guardianship and access; 20 per cent concerned maintenance; and domestic violence and the family home accounted for 10 per cent.

“There was a 23 per cent increase in the number of domestic violence calls compared with the previous year,” says the report.

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