Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day a day established in 1911 to celebrates women’s achievements, making their voices heard, fight against generational injustice, and fighting for gender equality both in the workplace and in the home.
It also aims to highlight issues of parity and equality between genders. IWD also highlights many of the inspirational women around the world who in face of adversity and discrimination have challenged the status quo.
The theme of this year’s day is ‘choose to challenge’ – people are being asked to challenge the status quo and question the current inequalities facing women.
Thankfully we have seen a great deal of advancement for socio-economic rights of women over the past century, in Ireland women of the age of majority have universal suffrage, property rights and greater employment opportunities.
Women can now be Chairpersons, CEOs, Astronauts and even Vice-President of the United States of America. This would have been unthinkable 100 years ago.
Small steps to giant leaps
However, there is still a great deal of inequality between the genders. These inequalities very much were highlighted by the pandemic and issues that faced women before became all too apparent during the pandemic and the resultant lockdown.
Issues such as domestic abuse, income equality, unemployment, and the burden of childcare routinely affect women more negatively than men. A recent Women’s Aid survey revealed that one in five women experience intimate relationship abuse at the hands of their partner, this is compared to one in seven men (Men’s Aid).
Domestic abuse and violence can lead to long-lasting effects on a victim’s physical and mental health and can even result in greater numbers of people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Prior to the lockdown, the women affected by this would have a respite from the abuse by having the option to leave the house, but this is no longer the case.
My fellow IACP members have seen the effects of this, women are unlikely to avail of tele/online counselling if they feel their partner has the option to eavesdrop on the session.
This reluctance is not exclusive to women in volatile domestic situations, women who are parents may find it difficult to allow themselves to get into the reflective headspace that therapy requires when they are worried about the possibility of their child gatecrashing their session.
Women in the home during Covid
Women are historically seen as caregivers, and indeed women generally dominate the caregiving professions – Counselling and psychotherapy included – and the lockdown has only added to their already full loads.
A recent National Women’s Council of Ireland survey revealed that 85% of women found their caregiving responsibilities increased since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Many women do full shifts in caregiving roles on the frontlines and must return home to provide care for their children, and the lack of childcare provided by creches and schools has increased the pressure on these women.
This is putting women at risk of greater risk of burnout, both physically and mentally. I’m asking any women reading this who finds themselves in this situation to consider seeing a therapist.
If you are a frontline healthcare worker, over 300 of my colleagues are offering voluntary sessions – a fact of which I’m very proud. The IACP’s Public Mental Health amidst Covid-19 survey conducted by B & A also revealed that women were more affected by mental health issues than their male counterparts.
Around 30% of those surveyed often felt stress compared with 21%, 32% often feeling anxious compared with 21% and 18% often feeling lonely/isolated, compared with 14%. The CSO found similar findings in their April 2020 survey.
We’ve been seeing this in our practices over the past year, women are finding the lockdown increasingly difficult. They are cut off from their physical social support structures and families, and while video conferencing and phone calls are vital for keeping us connected, they don’t have the same positive effect on our mental health that face-to-face interaction does.
Looking forward
So this year on IWD, I would like you to consider all the ways in which women’s rights have evolved over the past century but conversely, I would also like you to keep in my mind the myriad of challenges that affect us.
Choose to challenge the status quo! Interrogate society’s treatment of women and do your best to be a positive ally for change. You can even start small and at home.
If a neighbour of yours needs help, you can offer it to them (from a safe distance of course). If you’re in a domestic partnership with a woman, speak with her and ask if there is anything you can do to lighten her workload.
If you are a woman and need help, please consider doing the same. Partnerships are a two-way street, and as much as we’d love it to be the case, our partners are not mind-readers.
If you are dealing with something that you feel you need help with, please contact your GP or go to iacp.ie to find over 2,500 of my colleagues based nationwide.
IACP accredited counsellors and psychotherapists offer their clients the opportunity to speak their minds without fear of judgement, recrimination or reprisal and create a safe space for clients to explore their own psyches.
Bernie Hackett is an accredited member and Chair of the Irish Association for Counselling and psychotherapy (IACP).
***
Our colleagues at Noteworthy want to investigate the measures being taken to tackle a pandemic-induced mental health crisis in Ireland. You can help fund them here.
There’s needs to be more articles relating to the impact of restrictions. This is but the tip of the iceberg.
@Kieran Hayes:
Eating disorders have been there long before restrictions and will be there long after.
@Digdeepradioucc: true but the incidence is markedly increased. Along with abuse and neglect. But aside from these the very nature of lockdowns and social isolation reduces life expectancy… https://youtu.be/ptIecdCZ3dg
@Digdeepradioucc: I wonder could some be suffering from the after effects of the virus. Many have complained of loss of smell and taste. That it actually puts them off eating. These after effects could last for weeks/months.
@Eileen Roche: Ah here….
@Eileen Roche: I hope you have the excuse of being drunk…
@Eileen Roche: Eileen, speaking as someone who is living with an eating disorder, I would suggest that you read up, even just a little, on the causation of EDs. Your suggestion is far removed from why and how they actually develop in connection with someone mental well-being.
@Digdeepradioucc: The point is that it appears (and this article could give some more data) that hospitalisations and greatly increased since the pandemic. And you could guess why, but more reporting and more research is needed because there are a lot of negative health impacts caused by lockdowns.
@Eileen Roche:
Isolation,lack of support, reduced medical support and treatment, lack of human contact, loss of employment, social restrictions, covid anxiety.
All of the above, and probably more, will lead to increases in mental health issues, eating disorders, alcohol and drug use and abuse, suicides and more. Also, will likely lead to people who already had these issues and were doing OK regressing and relapsing.
Nothing to do with smell and taste being temporarily lost.
The government should have been preaching preventative measures that help mitigate Covid 19 effects. A healthy diet, Vitamin D, regular excercise etc.
Battering people over the head with statistics of infection and death without giving much needed advice for people to help themselves is a disgrace.
@Mike Ryan: Thank god someone is seeing sense. The nation’s health should be our primary focus. The ‘stay at home’ message is dangerous is many other ways and our government are offering no advice is this regard.
@Mike Ryan: This is the main issue I have with the current approach, it’s full on negative and against basic health needs. Too many people not seeing the bigger picture.
@Mike Ryan: is there evidence for Vitamin D and exercise? Not being smart I’m genuinely wondering. Thanks.
@Maalouf: Firstly, a healthy diet and regular exercise is recommended for everyone. And there is proof that this will generally make for healthier people and stronger people, both physically stronger and a stronger immune system. Which will help fight illness and disease.
The Vit D thing I’m not a hundred per cent on. Early on it was reported in the USA that most Covid infections were in people who were vitamin D deficient. Could be something could be coincidence. For example in Ireland virtually everyone is low on Vitamin D. So most covid patients will be as well.
I personally started taking Vitamin D supplements as there are general benefits to it.
@Jim Lingk: interesting thank you
@Maalouf: vitamin D boost your immune system, as does Vit C and Zinc. Getting your Vit D outside in the daylight is best, it’s a real mood booster
This is a silent epidemic that’s doing so much damage to our population
There’s probably alot of people who would have preferred to take their chances with covid, but hey, government knows best.
@Joe ryan: the hospitals are nearly full at the moment and we are in lockdown. Imagine if everyone was let take there chances and not enough doctors or beds to treat them. They would just die at home slowly sufficating. I don’t agree with all the restrictions at the same time. People’s mental health is really suffering.
Well done for putting an advertisement for Burger King in the middle of the article.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh:
My Google searches for the last 10 or so days were related to art,music,sport,and architecture!
@Kenneth Hayden: Your phone is listening to you!
@Kenneth Hayden: ….. and Burger King. You’ve been outed. Get help for your eating disorder. You are in denial.
Ireland won’t be satisfied until everyone is dead of everything other than Covid… kind of entertaining to watch the madness.
have your say