News & Latest Updates
Stay informed on what we’ve been up to, media features, and follow along for journey updates.
Board Appointment
Thurs, 4 Dec, 2025
Former Chief Financial Officer Andrew Mussett has joined the board of Beyond Surviving
Mr Mussett, a former Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed to the Board as Financial Trustee.
He is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) and brings extensive financial expertise, having worked predominantly for US multinationals prior to his retirement.
Beyond Surviving warmly welcomes Andrew to the Board and looks forward to the impact his expertise will bring to the organisation. We are privileged to have him join us on this important journey.
Board Appointment
Thurs, 4 Dec, 2025
Solicitor Sarah Grace has joined the board of Beyond Surviving
Ms Grace, a corporate lawyer and certified yoga teacher, has been appointed to the board as Legal Trustee.
She brings extensive legal expertise, combining her two passions of effective corporate governance and building a brighter future for all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Commenting on her appointment, Ms Grace said: “I am so honoured to have joined the board of Beyond Surviving, a survivor-led charity whose mission is to offer healing and wellbeing support to those affected by domestic, gender and sexual-based violence.“
Beyond Surviving warmly welcomes Sarah to the Board and looks forward to the impact her expertise and passion will bring to the organisation and the wider DSGBV landscape. We echo the response to Sarah’s appointment and are privileged to have her join us on this important journey.
Victim Support Europe
Fri, 28 Nov, 2025
Beyond Surviving attends Victim Support Europe’s MORE THAN WORDS: Turning Commitment into Real Change for Victims event in Brussels
The day brought to mind a statement shared by founder Ciara during an Ireland AM interview in April 2025, reflecting on her experiences within Ireland’s criminal justice system: “There is no consideration for the victim.” Sadly, many of Friday’s speakers echoed how true this remains across Europe.
Too often, victims are expected to navigate systems that view them merely as witnesses, rather than individuals whose lives are profoundly affected by such legal procedures. Many are left without timely information, without recognition, and without the dignity of being seen as more than a case number. Justice is treated as a process of accountability and punishment alone, while for so many victim-survivors, justice also means being respected, supported, heard and considered.
Beyond Surviving remains committed to amplifying survivor voices and championing a justice system that truly considers, respects and centres those at its core.
Pitching Day
Mon, 10 Nov, 2025
Beyond Surviving founder Ciara delivers her pitch at Voices of Change, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland event
Ciara spoke about the pivotal moment in her healing journey where she found herself in the ‘post-crisis gap’, after availing of essential support from frontline services such as Rape Crisis Centres. Their work saved Ciara, but she needed more, a next step.
Beyond Surviving exists because healing from domestic abuse and sexual violence is a lifelong process, and service provision must reflect that.
We bridge the gap between crisis intervention and long-term healing, extending and complementing existing services so that survivors can experience sustained, well-rounded support at every stage of their recovery.
We’re Shortlisted!
Mon, 13 Oct, 2025
Beyond Surviving shortlisted for ‘Start-up Social Enterprise’ award
Beyond Surviving is proud to share we are shortlisted for an award at the National Social Enterprise Awards 2025 under the category of ‘Start-up Social Enterprise’.
We are honoured to be shortlisted alongside two incredible social enterprises doing fantastic work, namely, AnamVR and Hugs Community.
Awards ceremony takes place on Wednesday, 15th October in Tallaght, Dublin. We are privileged to have made it this far and it’s a credit to the hard work and dedication of our passionate volunteers and survivor advocates! Thank you!
CatalyseHer
Thurs, 2 Oct, 2025
Our founder Ciara joins INCO Entrepreneurs first cohort of #CatalyseHer, supported by Visa Foundation, empowering women entrepreneurs across Ireland.
Visa Foundation has partnered with INCO to launch CatalyseHer, a comprehensive training and micro-grant programme designed to support 100 women-led small businesses across Ireland.
The initiative will provide early-stage, revenue-generating companies focused on social and environmental impact with training, community building opportunities, and access to funding through micro-grants.
Irish Independent
Sat, 20 Sept, 2025
Ciara was recognised by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland as one of Ireland’s newest wave of changemakers for founding Beyond Surviving
“It’s lovely for this to be recognised on a broader scale now, and I feel like I’m not alone in it anymore. I’m excited that everyone else seems to really believe in where this can go,” she said, “It feels like people can see the vision and see where this organisation can go. I’ve always believed in this and I just stuck to my guns.”
“What I found was that you do reach a point on this journey where you outgrow services and you look for something beyond that. The services that are available in Ireland support you up to this point of survival. I was looking around and I said – What’s beyond this?” After Ms Mangan realised that survivors often have nowhere to turn once they move beyond this stage, she said, “So I set up my own organisation.”
Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI)
Mon, 15 Sept, 2025
Impact Programme 2025
Beyond Surviving is ‘beyond’ thrilled to announce we have been selected as one of the five successful applicants to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s Impact Programme 2025. Beyond Surviving welcomes €20,000 in unrestricted funding with open arms, together with structured pro-bono expertise valued at an additional €20,000 to €30,000. We’re incredibly thrilled to avail of all the expertise, support, networks, and opportunities that this programme will offer over the next 9-months and beyond, helping us to scale our impact and drive lasting social change.
SATU, Rotunda Hospital
Thurs, 11 Sept, 2025
National SATU Study Day
Our founder, Ciara, was pleased to contribute at the National Sexual Assault Treatment Unit Study Day at the Rotunda Hospital, formally introducing Beyond Surviving to the sector and highlighting the gap in post-crisis recovery support for victim-survivors of DSGBV, as well as Beyond Surviving’s critical role in bridging this gap collaboratively with the sector as a whole.
Concluding Observations
Mon, 7 July, 2025
“..prohibit access to survivors’ counselling notes”
The UN Treaty Body ‘Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’ (CEDAW) has issued its concluding observations to the Irish Government after considering the eighth periodic reports of Ireland (CEDAW/C/IRL/8) at its 2156th and 2157th meetings, held on 20 June 2025. They write “Consolidate sexual offence laws based on consent and prohibit access to survivors’ counselling notes” 27 (d).
Cork’s 96fm Opinion Line
Tues, 17 June, 2025
Let’s Stop Rape Survivor Counselling Being Used Against Them
PJ talks to Ciara Mangan of Beyond Surviving about her work together with victim-survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and abuse to end counsellor notes being used against rape survivors in sexual offence trials.
‘A breach of women’s rights to access health & justice’.
Mon, 16 June, 2025
“Current legislation and proposed amendment is a violation of our rights.”
Calling the use of counselling notes a violation, the submission also says: “We assert that this practice is discriminatory and a breach of women’s rights to access health and justice. It is a violation of our privacy and deeply harmful. This violation must be eradicated.“
Post-Crisis Matters Too
Thurs, 12 June, 2025
“Ireland does not recognise survivors post-crisis”
Our founder Ciara joined a panel of experts on Thursday 12th June at the launch of the National Women’s Council Ireland’s Strategic Plan 2025-2029. Ciara touched on the importance of survivor-led work and respecting survivors as experts in their own right. She spoke of the critical gap in post-crisis recovery infrastructure in Ireland and the urgent need for funding and investment in this area. “Healing is a life-long process and service provision must reflect and validate that.”
Community Fund
Wed, 11 June, 2025
Beyond Surviving receives €1,000 donation from Castlebar Home Store + More Community Fund
Our founder Ciara headed over to the Castlebar branch at Home Store + More to pick up our donation after colleagues in store nominated Beyond Surviving as the top recipient for this term of their Community Fund initiative. We are extremely grateful. Huge thanks!!
Extreme violation of our privacy
Tues, 10 June, 2025
Beyond Surviving thrilled to speak at United Nations
Beyond Surviving will be alongside other NGOs such as Pavee Point and the National Women’s Council in delivering a presentation to the committee in Geneva. They will use their speech to campaign for a change in the law to ensure counselling notes would not be used in sexual offence trials.
Ciara takes to London
Mon, 5 May, 2025
Our founder Ciara headed to Waterloo station as part of the global Let’s Talk About Rape campaign
Let’s Talk About Rape® is a movement that challenges the silence and stigma surrounding sexual violence. Through photography and creative expression, the project empowers survivors to reclaim their narratives, confront trauma, and redefine themselves as survivors, not victims.
National Women’s Council
Wed, 15 Jan, 2025
Ciara Mangan, a survivor of sexual violence, has founded Beyond Surviving, Ireland’s first survivor-led charity to provide much needed support and connection for those healing from domestic and sexual abuse.
An inspiring and vital step in addressing the isolation survivors face, reflecting resilience and the power of community in healing.
