Telling Stories of DSGBV

Stories > Telling Stories of DSGBV

The Hardest Stories Campaign is driven by a powerful creative idea: The stories that are hardest to tell need to be told. By breaking silence, we begin the vital work of transforming our society into one where people can live free from the shadow of violence.

From Oscar Wilde to Edna O’Brien, we pride ourselves on being a nation of storytellers. But there are some stories no one should have to tell. Stories of harassment, abuse, rape; stories of violence.

These stories are hidden in plain sight across our country, more being created every day and we’re shedding light on them now. Showcasing the humanity behind the statistics and encouraging people to join in stopping these stories.

With this campaign, we aim to shed light on not only particular stories of violence but also the fact that all too many of these stories exist.

Emer’s Story is also available in Irish here.

Emer is a fictional character developed for the Hardest Stories campaign to represent a victim and survivor of domestic violence. Telling a story in a campaign using relatable characters is a proven way to carry important messages to viewers through fostering empathy and compassion. While Emer’s story is a work of fiction, there are thousands of women in Ireland who have a similar story of domestic violence.

If you are here because you have a similar story to Emer, know that what happened to you was not your fault and you are not alone. Help and support will always be available to you, when you are ready to take the step towards healing and recovery for what has happened to you.

Click here to learn more about help and support

Women’s Aid have published real stories of women who have been supported by their services. You can find those stories by clicking here.

Orla’s Story is also available in Irish here.

Orla is a fictional character developed for the Hardest Stories campaign to represent a victim of sexual violence. Telling a story in a campaign using relatable characters is a proven way to carry important messages to viewers through fostering empathy and compassion. While her story is a work of fiction, there are thousands of women in Ireland who have a similar story of sexual violence.

If you are here because you have a similar story to Orla, know that what happened to you was not your fault and you are not alone. Help and support will always be available to you, when you are ready to take the step towards healing and recovery for what has happened to you.

Click here to learn more about help and support

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre have developed a safe space, called We-Speak, where victims and survivors of sexual violence can come together to tell their own story. Click here to learn more about We-Speak.

• Paul's story on Soundcloud

Paul is a fictional character developed for the Hardest Stories campaign to represent a victim of domestic violence. Telling a story in a campaign using relatable characters is a proven way to carry important messages to viewers through fostering empathy and compassion. While his story is a work of fiction, there are thousands of men in Ireland who have a similar story of domestic violence.

If you are here because you have a similar story to Paul, know that what happened to you was not your fault and you are not alone. Help and support will always be available to you, when you are ready to take the step towards healing and recovery for what has happened to you.

There are male specific DSGBV services such as Men’s Aid and The Male Advice line managed by the Men’s Development Network that offers confidential advice and support to male victims of domestic violence and abuse over the phone.

There are also domestic violence support organisations that support both men and women. Click the link to find your local domestic support service and ask them if they support male clients.

• David's story on Soundcloud

David is a fictional character developed for the Hardest Stories campaign to represent a victim of sexual violence. Telling a story in a campaign using relatable characters is a proven way to carry important messages to viewers through fostering empathy and compassion. While his story is a work of fiction, there are thousands of men in Ireland who have their own stories of sexual violence.

All men can be subjected to sexual violence either when they are a child or when they are an adult. In the CSO Sexual Violence Study it was found that 28% of men that took part in the study had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime and again half of those never told anyone about it.

If you are a male victim of sexual violence, know that what happened to you was not your fault and you are not alone. Help and support will always be available to you, when you are ready to take the step towards healing and recovery for what has happened to you.

All the Rape Crisis Centre’s in Ireland provide help and support to everyone regardless or sex, gender or sexual orientation. Click here to learn more about help and support

If you are here because you have a similar story to David, and are a member of the LGBT+ community, then of course the same applies to you and you and you can also call the National LGBT Helpline on 1800 929 539 for help and support. You can find more information on the helpline and other services at https://lgbt.ie/our-services/