Irish couples hoping to adopt children from abroad may soon have two more places to choose from — but only if the countries can overcome key legal barriers.

Harrowing cases of children being urinated on, kicked in the stomach or seeing their mother raped were reported to the Women’s Aid domestic abuse helpline last year.

{mosimage}The support organisation said incidents where the perpetrator was abusing the child of a relationship as well as the mother rose by 29pc in 2006.

In a number of cases the abuse occured during access visits and one fifth were ex-partners or ex-husbands — showing that violence can occur even where a woman has taken steps through separation or other orders to protect themselves and their children.

Director Margaret Martin said: “We respond to around 12,000 calls every year which shows domestic violence is still a huge problem within society.

“This year we are particularly concerned at the increase in specific incidents of child abuse and the nature of the abuse such as violent beatings or urinating on a child”.

She expressed particular concern about the numbers of women who continue to be abused after they have left relationships and the vulnerability of children in these situations.

“With 70pc of our court accompaniments being repeat visits to court, it again highlights the legal system as failing to adequately protect women and children from domestic violence”.

The statistics released yesterday show that last year the helpline received 11,994 calls — most involved emotional abuse, one quarter physical abuse and five per cent related to sexual abuse which is traditionally not disclosed by women experiencing domestic violence.