A report released by University of Galway researchers, which was intended to ‘complement the work of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Inquiry’, has said that there is a need to eliminate the use of ‘hurtful, derogatory and stigmatising historical and current labels’ when discussing the lived experience of those impacted by such institutions.
Researchers, through their work with people who had spent time in an Irish institution, have determined that certain terminology should be eradicated from common usage such as; ‘mother and baby homes’ and ‘illegitimate’ due to the stigmatising nature of such a label and how it has impacted their lives to date.
One participant in the report has said that to this day, they have never spoken about their time in an Irish institution.
“I have never spoken to people about what happened to me because there is a judgement around it, it makes you different from anyone else and it makes you be seen as different.”
Another said that the language used to describe those who experienced abuse, continues to haunt them.
“I mean years ago it was said to you, you have made your bed, go lie in it. Whether you were a victim of rape, whether you were a victim of incest, you were still told you have made your bed, go lie in it. There is a lot of people out there that are struggling from things that happened to them and words that were said to them years ago.”
The report details that the media and conversations surrounding institutions should listen to those personally effected, who continue to be affected by language surrounding ‘Mother and Baby home’ coverage, such as ‘illegitimate’ and ‘unmarried mother.’
“When I read through the little form then which I did get from Tusla which was very disappointing, there wasn’t a huge amount of information on it, but the big thing that really hit me when status, it said legitimate or illegitimate,” said a participant in the report, adding, “So straight away illegitimate is on my details. So again, when I started to think about it, I was saying how horrible to be carrying, when I have to show any forms or anything this comes up, illegitimate.”
Regarding the institutions, every participant in the study said they disagreed with the term ‘home’ and that the connotations of the word ‘home’ being linked to ‘family’ did not portray their experiences. Some even preferred to label the institutions they had been in as ‘prisons’, ‘detention’ or ‘slavery’.
The report determined multiple key factors surrounding the use of language regarding institutions in Ireland and those who had spent time in them, determining a need for an overhaul in how the media and the Government discuss such places. Among these key factors are acknowledging the impact of language and people’s experiences, allowing those with lived in experience to have leadership in present an future actions, avoiding continuing stigmatisation by adapting terminology and a general awareness and acceptance of change.
One participant said, “Better education and awareness will also help people to learn about the words of the past and the impact they had so that they won’t ever use them with their children because they will know how damaging they can be and hopefully their children will never find themselves in any situation that I found myself in.
“There should be compassion shown going on in terminology and in the reports themselves. This is what was said, and this happened and what shouldn’t have been said. What should have been said probably is this is an awful thing that has happened, I hope you will be able to put it behind you, you will never forget, but maybe you will learn to live with.”
