2 weeks Ago By Emma Kilcawley Hemani
WOMEN’S Aid this week marked 50 years of support for victims of domestic abuse. In 1974, the organisation set up the first refuge for women in Ireland. This significant milestone offers an opportunity not only to reflect on the strides Women’s Aid has made over five decades but also to confront the stark realities that persist.
While countless women have been supported, the growing demand for services underscores the pressing need for systemic change. The charity conservatively estimates that it has responded to at least 600,000 contacts from women across generations. Worryingly, it also states that demands for specialist domestic violence support services are increasing.
Writing in The Irish Sun on Sunday today, Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid, says that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is not being given enough priority by politicians ahead of the General Election. ON Thursday, Women’s Aid marked 50 years of frontline support and advancements for victims of domestic abuse . To mark the anniversary, we organised a one-day landmark conference in Dublin to discuss key areas that remain a barrier to ending domestic violence and are preventing progress towards real gender equality.
Women’s Aid began with a letter, which turned out to be a catalyst, and we hope that bringing together hundreds of key stakeholders from across Ireland will be a catalyst for continuing ideas, partnerships, passion and innovation to accelerate Ireland towards that goal of equality and zero tolerance. We have made much progress but there is so much more to do. Gender-based violence remains a scourge on Irish society and limits the potential of all women and girls affected.
In Ireland, one in three women suffer psychological abuse and one in four women have experienced sexual violence from a partner. Women’s Aid research has found that one in five young women had experienced abuse by an intimate partner before the age of 25. Over half of these young women experienced the abuse under the age of 18.
This should not be “a fact of life”. We have, within our grasp, a unique opportunity to really create a zero tolerance of violence and create an equal society for women and girls. Crucially, we need more male leaders across all sectors in society to step up and become a strong voice to call out everyday sexism , misogyny and gender inequality.
We have online environments telling women and girls that their worth is vested in how thin they are, how beautiful and how ready for the sex depicted in pornography. At the same time, there is a different gendered experience influencing so many young men and boys online and we are struggling to get in front of messages of masculine alienation and algorithms that draw them down rabbit holes into misogynistic spaces. Our new research, in partnership with Core, into attitudes, influence and well-being among Irish men shows that two in five men now hold “traditionalist” views.
This includes agreeing or being unsure on statements such as “men who don’t dominate in relationships aren’t real men”. More than half agreed or were unsure that “a man’s worth is measured by power and control over others”, while a similar number found that “real men shouldn’t have to care about women’s opinions or feelings”. “Traditionalists” are more likely to be younger men, particularly those in their 20s, who exhibit a higher adherence to traditional masculine roles compared to older age groups.
This trend suggests that younger men may be more influenced by contemporary online figures who promote traditional masculinity. There are encouragements and insights to be taken from this report. We can see clear opportunities for intergenerational dialogue between older and younger men who may be internalising more traditionalist views of masculinity, power and dominance due to the outsized influence of online role models.
In this context, and with a General Election just a week away, Women’s Aid is monitoring how the main political parties are addressing the issue in their manifestos. It is concerning that, despite remaining so pervasive, damaging and costly to women, families and communities across Ireland, domestic abuse is not being prioritised in many party manifestos. While most of the manifestos mention domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to some extent, none set it out as a main priority.
We cannot ignore the inbuilt systemic gender inequalities in structures and systems which influence all women’s lives, and their capacity to thrive as equals with men" Domestic, sexual and gender based violence is a matter of great urgency. It is a public health issue, it is a crime issue, it is a housing issue, it is an education issue, and it is an economic issue. We are calling for all parties to publicly commit to the continuation and full resourcing of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
It must be a priority in the next programme for government. We cannot ignore the inbuilt systemic gender inequalities in structures and systems which influence all women’s lives, and their capacity to thrive as equals with men..
