Cuan’s Role in Creating Zero Tolerance of DSGBV

Stories > Cuan’s Role in Creating Zero Tolerance of DSGBV

About Cuan

Cuan is a statutory agency under the remit of the Department of Justice dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV).

Cuan works collaboratively across government and with the NGO and DSGBV services sector to ensure that the best possible services are in place to meet the needs of victims and survivors. Cuan is not a frontline service and does not provide in-person services to the public.

The establishment of Cuan was a key action of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. To learn more about the strategy click here.

To learn more about Cuan go to Gov.ie/cuan

Key Strategic Objectives

Cuan has set out six key objectives to guide our work and to reach our goal of a society free from domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Click on a heading below to learn more:

Galvanise Nationwide Action

Cuan’s ambition to eliminate domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland begins with building nationwide collaboration and driving cohesive statutory action. To achieve this, Cuan will leverage its role as a statutory agency to strengthen partnerships and alliances, internationally, nationally, locally and with diverse communities, with a focus on aligning efforts across government, the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence sector and society.

By adopting a robust partnership model, Cuan aims to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence that is rooted in the four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and policy coordination.

Through this, Cuan will not only galvanise action to address the societal norms that underpin domestic, sexual and gender-based violence but also enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of response mechanisms at local, regional and national levels.

Educate All Generations

To create lasting societal change, Cuan is committed to ensuring that all generations and communities are educated, informed and empowered to challenge the social and cultural norms that perpetuate domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Cuan will work dynamically and creatively with and through key partners, to deliver impactful educational initiatives and public awareness campaigns that tackle the root causes of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

This will include challenging the myths, misconceptions and established beliefs which have hindered effective progress in this area. These initiatives aim to create dialogue, confront and shift societal attitudes, foster understanding and ensure that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence prevention is embedded across formal and informal education.

Cuan will focus particularly on effectively reaching and engaging communities affected by marginalisation to deliver a broad, inclusive approach. Given that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a multifaceted issue, with intersecting factors such as sex, gender, race, disability, sexuality, nationality and socio-economic status contributing to diverse experiences of violence, Cuan’s actions will be driven by a commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of a domestic, sexual and gender-based violence-free society.

Effective Services

Cuan is dedicated to leading the development and delivery of high-quality, accessible services and supports that meet the needs of all victim/survivors and persons at risk of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Central to this objective is ensuring that services are victim-survivor centred, inclusive and tailored to the needs of diverse groups, particularly the most vulnerable.

Cuan will prioritise the creation of a robust, scalable funding model, the implementation of National Service Standards and the development of a National Services Development Plan. By working with partners across the sector, Cuan aims to build capacity, accelerate delivery of accommodation and ensure frontline professionals and support staff are trained to respond effectively.

Whole of Government Action

Cuan is committed to leading a whole of government response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, taking a best-in-class approach to national strategy implementation. Central to this is ensuring that victim-survivors have clear, accessible and supportive pathways to and through justice.

To achieve this, Cuan will ensure there is a strong governance framework in place to enable it to deliver on its statutory function to “coordinate, oversee and provide advice and support in relation to the implementation by public service bodies of the strategies and plans” relating to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

We will develop performance indicators, monitor, and report on governmental obligations and work collaboratively across departments and agencies to ensure that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is effectively addressed in both policy and practice.

Cuan will also play a pivotal role in supporting initiatives within the criminal and civil justice system that remove barriers to justice, vindicate the rights of victims and ensure children are recognised and treated as individual victims.

This coordinated approach will ensure that the national commitment to ending domestic, sexual and gender-based violence leads to real, measurable improvements for victim-survivors across Ireland.

Build the Knowledge Base

At the core of Cuan’s remit is ensuring responses to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are grounded in robust data, research, evidence and the lived experiences of victim-survivors. This objective emphasises the need to harness data, research and partnerships to drive forward meaningful change. This will involve working with a range of partners including civil and criminal justice agencies and across prevention, policy, service delivery, prosecution and access to justice.

Cuan will work to develop an evidence base that informs all aspects of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response, with a particular focus on understanding that these forms of violence disproportionately affect individuals based on their gender, with women and girls being the primary victims, and ensuring that the voices of victim-survivors are at the centre of all initiatives.

This evidence-informed approach will guide efforts to optimise service delivery, shape prevention campaigns and influence policy changes aimed at reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland.

International Recognition

This objective focuses on positioning Cuan as a national and global leader in the drive to eliminate domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. To achieve this, the Agency must invest in building its internal capacity, ensuring that the organisation is agile, forward-thinking and equipped to lead Ireland’s response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

In collaboration with key government departments, partners and sectoral stakeholders, Cuan will implement robust systems, processes and communications strategies aligned with its strategic direction and values, ensuring it is driving evidence-based societal change and widely recognised for doing so.

Cuan’s Purpose, Ambition and Vision

Cuan’s Purpose is to drive Ireland’s response to the prevention of DSGBV and the protection of all victims and survivors. This is the reason Cuan exists and represents the contribution we are committed to making, with a lasting impact that transforms lives and communities. Our Ambition reflects the outcome we are striving to achieve to be nationally and internationally recognised for our role in achieving zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, leading to profound societal change and the elimination of these forms of violence. By realising our Purpose and ambition, we will create a safer, more just society for all.

We recognise that achieving Our Vision of creating a society entirely free from domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is incredibly challenging. The complexities of human behaviour mean that eliminating such violence may seem idealistic, but we are steadfast in our belief that no one should ever have to experience domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Our Vision is grounded in the principle of justice: everyone has the right to live free from fear, violence and abuse. It may not be possible to change human nature completely, but we are committed to reducing the prevalence of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence as much as possible, holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring every victim-survivor receives the protection and support they deserve.

Ultimately, while many will say the goal of a violence-free society is aspirational, we will work tirelessly to bring Ireland closer to this reality by driving meaningful change and fostering a culture of zero tolerance for all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.