20 | OPINION
opinion&comment
Violence against women is never, ever acceptable
Y
ou may have noticed the Irish team donned white ribbons during their international friendly against the US recently but did you know what they represented? November 25, marked White Ribbon Day in Ireland and signalled the beginning of 16 Days of Activism to Stop Men’s Violence Against Women which ends on December 10, Human Rights Day. White Ribbon Ireland is this country’s only national, male-led primary prevention campaign to end violence against women. It asks men to live the White Ribbon Commitment: never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women. We like to believe that we have an evolved stance on rape, there is no need for a dialogue. We all know that rape is wrong. But how many times have you heard about a rape or a sexual assault only to hear, “Yes, it’s awful. But she…” There is no end to that sentence that can be considered acceptable. For some reason - even though we know rape and sexual assault are categorically wrong - when it comes to real life application our view suddenly takes on shades of grey. You only need to look at the discourse that surrounded footballer Ched Evans recently. Look at the Bill Cosby case that is unfolding at the moment. Rather than treat those who are brave enough to confront their abusers with compassion and respect, often the first instinct is to doubt and to make excuses for the perpetrator. Writing on the White Ribbon blog, Avril D’Arcy told of the abusive relationship she endured for over three years and how she managed to escape. “I never realised that I would have to explain, to discuss, to argue my case. But I did, and some days I still have to.” It is these forces that prevent women from being able to speak out against assault or abuse. If people engage in the type of dialogue that is promoted by the White Ribbon campaign then we have a chance to change the victim blaming culture that exists. We cannot continue to deny that victim blaming is common in this country – and beyond. Ignorance will change nothing. The White Ribbon campaign’s goal is to change attitudes and behaviours that allow all forms of men’s violence against women to occur. Tom Meagher, husband of Jill Meagher who was raped and murdered in Melbourne in 2012, is an advocate for White
Ribbon Ireland. In his striking blog, The Danger of the Monster Myth, Meagher puts forth a concept that society attempts to deny: “that violent men are socialised by the ingrained sexism and entrenched masculinity that permeates everything from our daily interactions all the way up to our highest institutions.” (I will not rewrite the entire blog here but for those who haven’t already I urge you to read his powerful, eloquent words and give them some thought.) This ingrained sexism needs to be tackled from an early age. A crucial step is to teach young men about consent. Sex education, if it can be called that, is severely in need of an overhaul (an issue for another day) and an essential element of this needs to be a discussion about consent. Being informed about the notion of consent is important for both men and women. There are countless women who have experienced sexual assault without quite realising it because the rape narrative they are familiar with is what Meagher refers to as the “monster myth” – the stranger jumping out of the bushes and attacking an unsuspecting woman. No one has educated them about more complex experiences where the perpetrator is known to them. Consent is not the absence of a “no” but the presence of a “yes”. Another pivotal step in tackling all forms of men’s violence against women is to address the everyday sexist behaviours that are shrugged off and dismissed because they aren’t anything major. The acceptance of catcalling in the street, intimidation, groping and aggression towards women is not a separate issue. When other men abide these actions, maybe even laugh along because it is – to use the loathsome word – “banter”, they are contributing to the culture which allows men’s violence against women to exist. This is why a male-led campaign like White Ribbon is necessary to address this violence. A recent investigation by this newspaper into official Garda crime figures revealed that there were 56 cases of sexual assaults reported over the last year. Is this a figure the people of Wicklow can abide? Perhaps the county could come together, don the White Ribbon and choose to live the White Ribbon Commitment.
Michelle McGlynn is a staff journalist with the Wicklow Voice
with Michelle McGlynn
“W
TRADES UNIONS VENTED THEIR OPPOSITION TO BONUSES FOR FAT CAT WATER WORKERS. THEN, WHEN THE BONUSES WERE SCRAPPED, DEFENDED THE SAME EMPLOYEES WHO HAD NOW MIRACULOUSLY CHANGED FROM FAT CATS TO OPPRESSED UNION MEMBERS
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with Michael Wolsey
Truth be told, I mean what I say ... sort of ords mean what I say they mean, Humpty Dumpty told Alice - or words to the effect. It seems to be the slogan adopted by all sides in the never-ending row over water. The Government told us it was all about conservation and that water meters were the key to good practice - then abandoned the conservation element, leaving the meters virtually redundant. Irish Water told us its original pricing structure was necessary to fix the leaks and right the many wrongs of the system. Now it says it can do the same job with a structure that gives it about half the revenue. Trades unions vented their opposition to bonuses for fat cat water workers. Then, when the bonuses were scrapped, defended the same employees who had now miraculously changed from fat cats to oppressed union members. Paul Murphy told us that the people who menaced the Tanaiste in her car for two hours and hit her with a water-filled balloon were not violent, but the epitome of peaceful protesters. Poor old Humpty looks like a pretty good egg, and a real straight-talker, compared to this bunch. But I guess it was ever thus. I can’t mend the water problems, much less make politicians tell the truth. But, based on a lifetime in newspapers, I can offer you this guide to what they really mean. When a politician says ‘I’m glad you asked me that’, what he or she really means is ... I’m really sorry you asked me that. It was the last thing I wanted to hear and I can’t think of an answer that won’t get me into trouble. I’m going to waffle for a bit and hope you move on to something else. When a politician says ‘I’ve made it abundantly clear that’, what he or she really means is ... I don’t understand this problem and I can’t make up my mind what to do about it. I’m going to talk to my civil servants and see if they are any wiser. In the meantime, I’m going to waffle for a bit and hope you move on to something else. When a politician says, ‘This is a legacy issue’, what he or she really means is ... The last government brought this in but I can’t come straight out and blame them because we would have done exactly the same thing. So instead I’m going to waffle for a bit and hope you move on to
something else. When a trades union leader says, ‘This issue isn’t about overtime, it’s about family-friendly working hours’, what he or she really means is ... I want more money for our members. When a transport union leader says, ‘This issue is about providing the people of Ireland with the public transport they need’, what he or she really means is ... I want more money for our members. When a teachers’union leader says, ‘Our concern is for the students and the reputation of Irish education’, what he or she really means is ... I want more money for our members. When a political spin doctor says, ‘I want to make the minister’s position clear’, what he or she really means is ... When I finish this sentence you will be as confused as ever. When a political spin doctor says, ‘I want to make the minister’s position absolutely clear’, what he or she really means is ... If you thought you were confused before, just wait until I finish this sentence. When a political spin doctor says, ‘I want to make the minister’s position totally transparent’, what he or she really means is .... By the time I finish this sentence I’ll defy anyone in the entire country to explain what the minister is up to. When a newspaper reporter says ‘This is a story that needs to be told in the public interest’, what he or she really means is ... It’s a great story. None of our rivals has it. It will add thousands to the circulation and my editor will be delighted. When an editor says, ‘There are some things we simply would not publish’, what he or she really means is ... I’m going to sack the reporter who missed that story. When a website reporter says ‘I checked the facts thoroughly’, what he or she really means is ... Unlike newspapers, we don’t employ sub-editors so I thought I could get away with it. And when a newspaper columnist says he is going to tell you exactly how everyone else is trying to fool you, he means ... Exactly what he says. Trust me. I’m a journalist.. Michael Wolsey is a former deputy editor of the Irish Independent, and sat on the judging panel for the National Newspaper of Ireland Journalism Awards.