16 days of activism against gender violence 25 Nov - 10 Dec
Stop violence against women and girls!
Double Betrayal…
I looked at her as she sat in an almost foetal position and saw the soundless tears drip onto her lap. Looking up she said through her sobs that she had been raped last night by a friend. There was more. Desperate for support she called her closest friend, who instead of offering sympathy told her it was her own fault. It transpired the perpetrator had already been in touch and spun a convincing tale that she had come onto him…
Violence Against Women (VAW) is a violation of a person’s human rights. It devastates lives and fractures communities. VAW takes many forms i.e. domestic violence in the home, sexual abuse of children in schools, sexual harassment at work, marital and intimate partner rape . . .
https://www.womensaid.ie/assets/files/pdf/unifem_vaw_factsheet.pdf
LEGISLATION
The laws of a country determine the level of justice available for its citizens. When women are denied the same rights as men, then violence against them becomes widespread. Legislation is a powerful tool for addressing the sexual assault of any person. To be effective it must be correctly framed, properly implemented and deliver results in a timely fashion.
INADEQUATE LAWS
Globally, most countries have inadequate laws to protect women and girls from violence e.g. in 35 countries in the Americas, legislation on sexual violence denies justice to survivors due to:
1. Limited definitions of sexual violence, thereby contributing to impunity for perpetrators
2. Omissions that reduce protection against sexual violence for young and adolescent girls
3. Failure to criminalize marital or intimate partner rape
4. Procedural restrictions on minors’ ability to report crimes of sexual violence https://www.equalitynow.org/esvamericas_key_recom
INADEQUATE IMPLEMENTATION
Where robust laws for VAW exist, often they are poorly implemented e.g. in England and Wales, a 2021 assessment of VAW crimes indicated:
Ø Only 16% of women who have been sexually assaulted, report it to police.
Ø Of those reported, only 1.6% of cases result in a conviction.
Ø Rape prosecutions in England and Wales have fallen 59% in the last five years.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-58848113
WHY VICTIMS DON’T REPORT CRIMES
- Doubt that they will be believed
- Fear of perpetrator, as most are known to the victim / survivor
- People may say it’s their own fault
- Long wait for trial to go before court
- Not sure of Gardaí or police response
JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED
The delay in sexual assault cases being heard in court has a severe impact on victims, their family and friends and on alleged perpetrators.
‘People are waiting years for cases…it’s almost an acceptance that if a rape trial is listed for the first time, that it’s not going to get on.’
“The Realities of Rape Trials in Ireland”
https://www.drcc.ie/assets/files/pdf/leahyrealitiesreport.pdf
COURT DELAYS MUST BE REDUCED VIA:
o A reform of the criminal justice system, to ensure it investigates and punishes all forms of violence against women.
o Updated training on VAW is needed for Gardaí / Police, the judiciary, court staff and members of the legal profession.
UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
SDG 5: Empower Women and Girls and Ensure Their Equal Rights
One in Three Women has experienced physical or sexual violence (UN website)
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world!
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?
The struggle against gender-based violence will require more than legislation, it requires:
a) Fundamental changes in deep-seated, patriarchal relationships.
b) A dramatic change in chauvinistic male mind-sets.
c) Respect for the rights, equality and humanity of half the population of the world i.e. women!
FW de Klerk, former President of South Africa
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/mar/10/protect-girls-women
2021 UNiTE Campaign Theme:
“Orange the world: End violence against women now!”
Pamphlet prepared by the ‘Future We Need’ (FWN) group, a faith-based group with members from the Columbans, Franciscans, Josephites, Mercy, Presentation and Salesians.
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE...
25th November – 10th December
‘JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED’
Women are a problem for the Catholic Church, an institution with ingrained misogyny - Soline Humbert
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