Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) remains one of the most pervasive and complex challenges in Irish society. The scale of the problem is stark: 40% of adults in Ireland have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lifetime, with women disproportionately impacted. Among women aged 18–24, the figure rises to 65%. The European Institute for Gender Equality estimates that 35% of women have experienced intimate partner abuse in their lifetimes. DSGBV does not occur in a vacuum. Factors such as gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, nationality and socio-economic status shape how individuals experience violence, and how they access protection and support. And DSGBV does not affect victims alone; it reaches into every community, every workplace and every home. It is a whole-of-society issue that demands a whole-of-society response. Tackling it requires more than isolated actions; it requires a coordinated national effort to challenge the conditions that allow violence to occur and persist.

Feedback from the DSGBV sector suggested Ireland’s response was too fragmented and would benefit from a single point of coordination. Recognising this, the Government passed the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Act 2023, establishing Cuan as a statutory agency on 1 January 2024. This was a transformative step, placing a specialist, dedicated agency at the centre of a national strategy grounded in zero tolerance. Cuan’s mandate is clear: coordinate Ireland’s DSGBV response across prevention, protection, prosecution and policy. These pillars – shaped by the Istanbul Convention and the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy – guide Cuan’s work in ensuring that victim-survivors are supported, services are available and accountable, and that society as a whole moves toward meaningful behavioural and cultural change.

Establishing Cuan as Ireland’s dedicated DSGBV agency in such a compressed timeframe represents a remarkable whole-of-government commitment. The task of simultaneously building organisational infrastructure while maintaining service continuity and advancing strategic priorities demanded exceptional effort from our Board, management team, staff, government partners and service providers. A key achievement was the successful transition of DSGBV service funding responsibilities from Tusla and the Department of Justice to Cuan. Alongside
this, new oversight mechanisms were implemented to support stability, transparency and accountability, crucial elements in maintaining trust and effectiveness in service provision. Through collaborative determination and shared purpose, we accomplished in twelve months what would ordinarily require multi-year implementation.

This Annual Report reflects Cuan’s first year of work to put systems in place, build structures and generate momentum for long-term change. It documents not only operational progress, but also Cuan’s emerging role as a national driver of change by coordinating action, leading the development and delivery of services and supports, and ensuring a victim-survivor-centred, evidence-informed approach. Central to this is Cuan’s focus on influencing the behavioural and cultural shift needed to end domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.