ANTI-VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN:A new campaign hopes to tackle violence against women, with men taking a leading role, writes PAMELA DUNCAN
A SENSE OF POIGNANCY fills the room along with a moment’s silence to remember the murders of women and children in Limerick and Cork in recent weeks.
Among those who bow their heads to observe the silence at the launch of the White Ribbon campaign are some familiar male faces in Irish society – Senator David Norris, sports commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Justice Paul Carney, Ictu general secretary David Begg, Siptu general president Jack O’Connor and Martin Collins of Pavee Point.
All these individuals are here to show their support to the White Ribbon campaign, which calls for Irish men to challenge violent behaviour towards women, coinciding with 16 days of action opposing violence against women.
Other men who have come out in support of the cause are actors Martin Sheen and Stephen Rea, and the Munster and Connacht rugby teams.
The White Ribbon campaign has been set up by a newly formed alliance called The Other Half, made up of Safe Ireland, the national network of frontline domestic violence services, the Rape Crisis Network Ireland and the Men’s Development Network. While violence against women has traditionally been seen as a women’s issue the alliance believes it is time to recognise men as allies in ending violence against women.
Sharon O’Halloran, director of Safe Ireland said the campaign was in response to the growing level of violence against women and children in Irish society. “This is a critical development in Irish society, a much-needed response to the growing level of violence against women and children in our homes and society,” she says.
She notes that in 2009, more than 7,500 women and nearly 2,500 children received support from domestic-violence services, a 43 per cent increase since 2007. As well as this, 1,319 women received counselling and support in rape crisis centres last year. There were almost 35,000 calls to domestic violence services, while more than 23,000 helpline calls were made to rape crisis centres.
More than 1,534 women and 2,334 children were accommodated in refuges in 2009. However, shockingly over the same period, women and children had to be turned away from refuges on 2,341 occasions.
O’Halloran says that these statistics are a reminder that home is not where the heart is for many women in our society. “Home is where the hurt is these days,” she says, adding that issues such as domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual violence and child sexual abuse could not be allowed fall off the national agenda despite the current economic uncertainties.
Fiona Neary, director of Rape Crisis Network Ireland, says the campaign will show those who abuse that their behaviour is unacceptable and abhorrent to their peers and society. “One of the areas we need to try and tackle in Ireland are the cultural attitudes which in any way support abuse given that sexual violence remains endemic,” she says. “Men can have a real voice in changing attitudes towards women, against any kind of tolerance to violence, that’s key, but also in challenging attitudes, beliefs and comments, to challenge any kind of intolerance.”
“It is important to remember that the vast majority of men do not get involved in violence, and certainly are not violent towards females so it’s important for those people to stand up and say, ‘this is not good enough, we don’t support this’,” says deputy Garda commissioner Nacie Rice. “Sometimes there is a silent majority in this country. I think particularly in this campaign, it is important for men from all walks of life to stand up and support the campaign.
“There are some people who are silent in their support and some people, sometimes need to be asked to support these things. Sometimes you have to go out actively, as the White Ribbon campaign does, and say, ‘come out and show your support’.”
Alan O’Neill, director of the Men’s Development Network, adds that men have a responsibility to stand up against violence against women. “Women have had to lead out on this for decades and for some reason it’s been seen as a women’s issue. But when you think that men are the perpetrators within, that it is actually seriously a men’s issue and as men, we must take it on.”
The campaign seems to be suffering no shortage of celebrity support, particularly among men. “I think there is great wisdom in the proverb, Ní neart go cuir le cheile – we do not know what real strength is until we all pull together,” says ex-sports commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. “We too often leave it to people whether they feel like helping they can come along. I got the idea that it was great to ask people at a football seminar. There was somebody at it, a former famous footballer, and at some stage somebody said to him, ‘We never saw you at a thing like this before’, and he gave a lovely answer, ‘Nobody ever asked me.’ So there is a category of people, they’ll respond if they’re asked so it’s a great thing on behalf of The Other Half that they’re going outside that half and asking people to come along.”
“Violence against women is not a woman’s issue, it’s a man’s issue,” says actor Stephen Rea. “That’s absolutely poignant. We can’t have women complaining about this issue and working on it without men also doing something about it. I think men are ready to help.
“When you have an impeccable man like Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh up there talking about this issue, it can’t be ignored. It’s up to people, and men, not to get defensive about it. It’s up to men to deal with men about this. That’s crucial.
“This is the first time I’ve been asked to speak out against violence against women. But there are certain things you just have to do and this is one of them. I’m a bit of a post-feminist wimp really. I’ve grown up in a different atmosphere. It’s shocking that violence against women still exists.”
CONTACTS
Men can sign up to the White Ribbon Campaign and find out more at whiteribbon.ie
NATIONAL HELPLINES
24-hour rape crisis helpline: 1800-778888
Women’s aid national freephone helpline: 1800-341900
