You might have missed it, but International Women’s Day was last Sunday, March 8. It’s a major day of global celebration for the economic, political, and social achievements of women.
This week, to mark International Women’s Day, Mullingar Sinn Fein local election candidate Sorca Clarke announced that thousands of postcards are to be distributed in the Mullingar area outlining the party’s five demands for tackling domestic violence.
Sinn Fein appears to be the only political party at the moment pushing a campaign against domestic violence. They are calling for an increase in safe and suitable emergency and long-term accommodation for victims. The serious lack of such accommodation impedes victims from coming forward to report their ordeals.
"There needs to be secure and adequate funding for essential front-line services for victims of domestic violence. The current economic climate must not be used as an excuse to neglect these victims,” explains Sorca.
From experience, we’ve all seen that getting much-needed funding and infrastructure in place takes time. Just look at the struggle to get the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit up and running.
We constantly hear about anti-drug, knife, gun, etc, campaigns. The Road Safety Authority is working hard on its road campaigns, but what do we have for victims of domestic abuse?
I was shocked this week to read the alarming results of a survey on domestic abuse. One of the British papers published the Home Office survey, which revealed that 14 per cent of people believed there were circumstances in which a man could slap his wife or girlfriend for wearing revealing clothes in public.
Another 6 per cent said it was always acceptable, the Home Office survey showed.
Almost one in seven said women who nagged their husbands deserved to be hit.
These are terrifying statistics. I can only hope that if the same survey was carried out here the results would be different. But it’s hard to say.
Serious research and funding needs to be put into dealing with domestic violence in this country.
Attitudes need to change.
Domestic violence should not be seen as something that is deserved, nor should it be seen as a taboo subject.
Women are more independent now, compared to when the first International Women's Day took place in 1908. We are stronger, better educated, and more than capable of caring for ourselves. But that doesn’t mean we’re immune from domestic violence or abusive relationships, whether it be physical or psychological abuse.
I am delighted to see that a local election candidate from Westmeath is persuing this.
There are too many people out there suffering in silence.
