Spotlight on Éist – Saying no to silence
As part of National Volunteer Week, Éist – Saying No To Silence is being recognised by Westmeath Volunteer Centre for its vital work supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across the midlands.
Founded in 2025 by survivors and therapists, Éist is a volunteer-led organisation and a valued member of the Westmeath Volunteer Centre network.
Built on compassion, understanding, and lived experience, its mission is to ensure that survivors feel seen, heard, and supported, while working to break the silence surrounding sexual violence.
* This profile was conducted as part of Volunteer Week. See story about the work of Westmeath Volunteer Centre here
It provides trauma-informed support, including one-to-one emotional support, interim crisis therapy, holistic therapies, and guidance for those navigating the justice system. Éist is also committed to advocacy and education. Through campaigns such as ‘Zero Tolerance’ and Éist Aware training, the group works with communities and businesses to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and promote safer environments.
The dedication and hard work of organisations like Éist have played an important role in ensuring that Westmeath is actively contributing to the national strategy, which sets out a clear aim of achieving zero tolerance of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence in our communities.
The name ‘Éist’ (‘listen’ in Irish) reflects the organisation’s core belief: that every survivor deserves to be heard and supported without judgement.
During National Volunteer Week, Éist stands as an example of how compassion, courage, and community action can make a real difference in people’s lives.
Éist is not a crisis service – it champions accessible support through signposting individuals to appropriate trauma informed services and supports where needed. Counselling and psychotherapy are provided for those who ask for it.
It delivers workshops, events and campaigns within the community bringing these conversations to the local level.
Finally, Éist continuously advocates for safer systems and survivor centred approaches, contributing to ongoing conversations around policy, practice, and cultural change.
Westmeath County Council continue to actively support the zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence. That work is aligned with the government’s Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence – Zero Tolerance, which was launched in 2022 and runs to 2026.
The strategy is built three pillars, prevention, protection, and support, and sets out a whole-of-government approach aimed at eliminating domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, while strengthening coordinated responses and survivor-centred services across Ireland.
* See profile on Esker House as part of the Volunteer Week special here