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FOR MOST PEOPLE, the announcement of the Covid-19 lockdown over four weeks ago was a concerning, and daunting moment. It was a sobering message that this strange virus that had been “over there” for so many months was now absolutely “over here.”
We have all had to get used to living in close quarters and working from home – if we are lucky enough to be able to do that. Schooling and entertaining children are new factors in our lives, as well as not being able to see friends or loved ones.
Losing patience, perhaps, at the endless trips to the fridge or the trails of teacups and glasses between the kitchen and the sitting room. Refereeing squabbles over who gets to sit on what chair or watches what film or uses the shower first.
It’s a difficult time for everyone.
There are very few of us not feeling some strain.
Domestic violence is another level
It’s hard to even begin to imagine what this announcement would have felt like for women and children who knew that they were now going to be confined, full-time, with their abusers.
They would have had a gut-wrenching fear that the prospect of living in confinement or quarantine meant the prospect of living in terror, of being trapped behind closed doors.
For the past four weeks, we at Safe Ireland have been having regular online meetings with our 38 member services. They are all open and operating, albeit under changed circumstances. They are supporting as many women as they can whilst facing new challenges such as staff sickness, ensuring social distancing and minimising the risk of the spread of the virus within accommodation based services.
Some services have been reporting an increase in the number of calls they are receiving on their helplines and to their services.
But many others are noticing that helplines are quieter than they would expect.
We were on a call with the global network of shelters this week and the response from many was exactly the same. It is this silence that is most ominous.
Right now, our greatest concern is that women are finding it much more difficult to make contact for support.
Confinement and isolation are huge risk factors in themselves.
Previously, women may have contacted our services when they or their partners were at work or out of the house or when children were in school.
Those little windows of freedom are not there now.
Her world has got even smaller than it was.
Isolation, and control
We know from many of the women who have been supported by our services or who contact An Garda Síochána (whose members are doing a great job during this crisis through Operation Faoisimh) that the pandemic and the request that we stay in our homes is being used as a weapon of control.
Controlling abusers now have a reason to insist that women and children do not leave the home.
There have also been cases where immunosuppressed women or those with health problems have been taunted by abusive partners, some of whom are deliberately refusing to wash their hands or socially distance.
Other women and children have been thrown out of their homes by abusers because they say they have had enough of them.
That’s the big differences between most of us who might just get a bit irritated at an open fridge door or a trail of crumbs or endless promises of “in a minute” when you look for help at home at the moment.
We may get irritated. But we don’t rule by domination and fear, or the threat of what women often refer to as the “or else” threat – that pit of your stomach dread of what just might happen if you don’t comply if you don’t do what he asks.
Abusers don’t suddenly become abusers because of a virus. Domestic abuse and coercive control is a persistent and deliberate pattern of controlling behaviour over a long period of time designed to create obedience and fear.
Coronavirus doesn’t cause abuse. Perpetrators do.
That’s why it is so important that there is a strong community response to domestic violence, particularly at this crisis time. We can be her voice when she may not have one.
Help is available
Instead of putting the onus on survivors trapped in tyrannies of control and restrictions, we can help. We can all keep vigilant, watch out for friends and family members, keep in constant contact, be alert for signals or signs of additional stress in locked down homes.
We too can call services or the Gardaí if we are concerned about our friends, our sisters, our neighbours. As the mantra of the time goes: “We are all in this together.”
With this collective community response, we can also send a strong message to abusers that they are being watched, and that their actions are not just a crime within their own homes, but are a crime that is so insidious that it appalls us all, as we are joined in solidarity.
A strong community response also needs a strong Government response.
Safe Ireland has been in constant contact with the Government to help secure a comprehensive national response to domestic violence victims.
The new awareness and information campaign is a welcome initiative. It is telling survivors clearly that specialist supports are open and are operating and that when they reach out, help is there for them.
It may help shatter the ominous silence. I hope it does. I hope it gives us all the confidence to speak out for our friends and our sisters.
However, when it does, we also need funding and resources to be able to find creative ways to re-home women and to keep them safe in their homes. This is the most important job at hand as we face into more weeks, maybe months, of isolation and containment.
Information and awareness is fantastic but it has to be now matched with solid and reliable Government resourcing. When this happens, we can say clearly that we want Ireland to be the safest country in the world for women and children.
Sharon O’Halloran is Co-CEO of Safe Ireland. The Safe Ireland Covid-19 Emergency Fund can be found here. All funds raised are being distributed by Safe Ireland through our 38 member services.
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13,000 submissions? Enda must be delighted another government “program” on the long finger.
@Kerry Blake: We can only hope that the majority of the people on the Citizen’s Assembly are of a secular disposition and will ensure logic and reality are applied, rather than the hocus pocus and pseudo-science of the other crowd.
@Joey Westland: the assault on reason and rationality of the zealot “pro-life” side is gearing up.
Time to wheel out Binchy
@James Gorman: he was a large part of the original cause of the problem of the Eight Amendment.
Couldn’t agree more Michael
Whether you believe this will help or not you have to give respect to the 99 Citzens who gave you their considerable time to do this.
@Deborah Behan:
Fair point.
We all cab agree it is a kick the can down the road exercise but let them on with it now.
A thankless job.
@P.J. Nolan:
All agree…
@P.J. Nolan: “Fake Story”.EU about to go Boom.Abortion,Abortion,Abortion,Abortion.e.t.c.Italy Banks Bust,Abortion,German Main Bank about to Collapse,Abortion,Abortion.
@Pat Stapleton:
Maybe your reading too many conspiracy stories
Sure it will be grand.Enda has got it covered, he will do his usual kick the can down the road and ignore everything but his salary and expenses and pension entitlements.
I made a14 page Submission outlining my case for Repeal of the Eight.
I was surprised by the massive volume of pro life contributions from the United States.
So far, I’ve been unable to trace any Submission from the Iona Institute, but not all the Submissions are yet posted up on the web site.
Well the only contributions from the US we know about is the money the pro-abortion side are getting. Back in 1984 getting money from the US was a very serious matter, now the people that had a problem with it back then and seen it as interference, don’t seem to have a problem with it now.
@Stephen Duffy: look up the list of Submissions. When all names are up, I wpild not be surprised is US Submissions from non Irish citizens out number the Submissions from Irish citizens.
@Micheal OLainn: was there not a 500 word limit?
@Chef Harold: no.
@Chef Harold: comments limited to 500 words, online Submissions file size limited to 2mb.
@Chef Harold: Don’t you like factual accuracy?
Well Michael, I wouldn’t assume for one minute that representation from abroad will be pro-life as I’ve seen pro-abortion assistance been sought from the States. However, that aside, if a representation is received from abroad there is no way of knowing that persons relationship with the Irish state. It’d be strange to have a situation where people argue that those living abroad should have a vote in the presidential election yet seek to devalue their opinion, regardless of which side of the debate they are on.
@Stephen Duffy: What does putin think? All ye putinistas are dopes!
60 people out of the 99 are aged over 40. The vast majority of whom are past reproductive age and will not be personally affected by the outcome. Multiple polls have suggested that the majority want a referendum, let’s hope that the opinions of the CA reflect this.
@Annie Berkley: that is a fascinating piece of information.
The demographic profile of Ireland is a very young population, the majority under 40. It occurs to me that the 99 may not be demographically representative, age wise.
The majority of polls also show that less than 20% want UK abortion in Ireland and are quite content with women that don’t like that, going to the UK for their abortion.
@Stephen Duffy: that is factually untrue, as you well know, it is intentionally untrue and false.
The repeal of the 8th is not about ‘UK abortion’ as you call it. Repealing the 8th does not even equate to abortion being legal. What repealing will do is remove the equal right to life of the mother and unborn child, which would allow women with a FFA diagnosis amongst other medical emergencies to be treated with dignity and respect in their own country. Without this referendum, this will never be possible.
People understanding this distinction is so important.
@Annie Berkley:
‘The repeal of the 8th is not about ‘UK abortion’ as you call it.’
Pull the other one.
@Annie Berkley: that is a valid distinction which the “pro-life” zealots will do everything possible to obscure and to confuse.
Yes because it’s all about FFA isn’t it? The pro-abortionist lobby need to pull the other one. Ask most pro-abortionists what they want and it’s all about on demand abortion. FFA doesn’t even come into it because that would limit ‘choice’ and ‘bodily autonomy’. 190,000 abortions in England and Wales in 2015. How many of those were FFAs or ‘other emergencies’?
@Micheal OLainn:
The pro abortion lobby see the 8th as nothing more than a stumbling block to abortion on demand.
Repeal the 8th.
Provide abortion services in Ireland.
Demand access to same abortion services for women under any circumstance.’Equal rights’
Insist the state provide same services for free.
Classify abortion as a health service.
When the liberal press put their full weight behind any campaign you know a sea change is afoot.
Of course the pro abortion lobby are completely hypocritical in the manner of their private utterances and public pronouncements on this.
They’re fooling no one.
Stephen – was it not true that more people wanted a U.K. abortion system than wanted to keep the current situation though? Now I wonder why you failed to mention that bit.
@Alex Falcone: you fail to address the actual distinction between the Eight Amendment and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.
Ideologues don’t do facts and reality.
@Micheal OLainn:
I take it you mean the uncomoprimising ideology of liberalism
What concerns me and I do have somewhat experience with it, is you can easily profile a group to gain your desired outcome. The Government hired a company to find the 99, and they would use profiling to obtain the representation.
@Alex Falcone: in your case, reactionary fundamentalism.
@Alex you do know Irish women have abortions on a daily basis just not on the island of Ireland? Putting your fingers in your ears, closing your eyes and jumping up and down does not make the problem go away.
The only inaccuracy is that it’s 19% and not 20%
What age do you think it past reproduction age? I’m over 40 and could still potentially find myself in a crisis pregnancy. Men can reproduce well into their later years. I wouldn’t say the vast majority at all.
@Carol Oates: female fertility declines with age even starting before 40 years of age in the case of some women. Men can impregnate much later in age but fertile women have a much greater vested interest in this matter since it is their bodies and they are the people who may have a problem pregnancy.
@Annie Berkley:
Your particular thread went away from your point Annie but I did some number crunching from the 2011census numbers.
18 to 40 equals 42% approx and 58% over 40
Seems they got that mostly right at least
@Carol Oates: Well, out of that 60, over half of them (32) are over 55, and I think we can agree that the chances of becoming pregnant oat this age range is negligible. And obviously, approx. 48% of this demographic are male. So that leaves roughly one quarter of the 60 that are female and between 40-55, and seeing as fertility rapidly declines after 40 (with a 5% chance of becoming pregnant in any given month – source: http://yourfertility.org.au/for-women/age/) I would say that yes, without a doubt, there is a vast majority here.
@P.J. Nolan: Thanks, that’s very interesting. I did assume it was representative as that would be very easy to check/ be called out on, but 60 out of 99 does really highlight our ageing population, and also sheds light on a possible discrepancy between the population demographic and the demographic that participated in the opinion polls I referenced.
@Micheal OLainn:
“in your case, reactionary fundamentalism.”
In fairness Michael, sending in a 13 page submission and subsequently scanning 13,000 submissions to see where they came from makes you sound a bit fanatical yourself.
Sorry Micheal, I know you think you know everything about everything, but women can and do get pregnant after 40, regardless of you thinking their overies are dried up and crusty. Also older women are more likely to have problems with their pregnancy. And that is the point. It is wrong to say the vast majority of the assembly are past reproduction age simply because they are over 40. I would’ve been more inclined to agree the vast majority of women over 50 are past reproduction age.
@Stephen Duffy: majority want repeal of the Eight A,end,ent according to your own link. Read the link.
So what about the women who are now beyond child-bearing years but have been there! The “export” to the UK has been going on for decades. Just because they’re older doesn’t mean they don’t understand the problem.
@Carol Oates: then pray tell, give me an age distribution on mothers age at dates of birth.
We are not addressing the matter of the biological of impregnation after age 40 but the age of higher fertility. And the age of women most exposed to the risk of unwanted pregnancy.
More women under 40 get pregnant than women over 40.
It is about the health of the eggs in the ovaries and their potential for fertilisation.
I of course recognise and appreciate that and have huge respect for the many women that have undertaken that journey when it was in many ways harder and more stigmatised than it is now. There are so many people over child bearing age that have been waiting so long for this change and do share the will to repeal the 8th but there is no denying the fact that this percentage is lower in the 55+ range than the under 25s, for example. I was simply expressing my hope that the members of the CA are those that wish to see change for the better.
Exactly, Anne. Almost 300 Irish women over 40 had abortions in the UK in 2015. Not to mention the thousands of women who previously had abortions and are now over 40 or women with concerns for their own daughters of child bearing age. Or men for that matter. To presume a person doesn’t have a vested interest because they are over a certain age is nonsense.
@Carol Oates: although the issue of the Eight Amendment bites more severely and acutely on younger women than on women who are no longer fertile. These are the women today who did not have the opportunity to vote back in 1983.
This is not to exclude a valid interest in this issue for people who are not yet of voting age or for whom the issue does not directly and immediately affect them in their personal lives.
@P.J. Nolan: that is interest and engagement on a public interest issue. It may seem trivial to you. It is important to me.
@Annie. That’s not a particularly sensible comment. I’m unlikely to be affected by child labour laws; doesn’t mean that I don’t have a valid and credible reason as to why 6 year old chimney sweeps are unethical
@George Salter: although the 6 years,old child and all children are more severely impacted. It’s about degrees.
@Micheal OLainn:
Indeed you are untitled to be interested and engaged in a public interest issue,
So is Alex Falcone.
@P.J. Nolan: indeed he is. Why on earth should he not be?
@Alex Falcone: quite right, I heard some pro abortion commentator say what they want is to repeal the eight, then the dail will be free to legislate in the same manner as the UK and that was very satisfactory. The reason the eight was put in place was so that citizens could directly control this issue. The establishment has done everything it could to thwart the citizens ever since but can’t get what it ultimately wants without hoodwinking the people to revoke the law that the people instituted on several occasions in the past. If you have an opinion on this on any other issue why would you give up control to politicians and the judiciary especially since this is a life or death issue for the most vulnerable.
@Jeremy DeChad: The Eight Amendment is Roman Catholic dogma introduced into the Constitution when the aroman Catholic Church held dominion.
The most vulnerable group is the group of women who are pregnant at any time.
The life, health, welfare and interests of the pregnant woman should always take priority over a contingent entity.
Roman Catholic dogma is insufficiently balanced and not a suitable basis fir a Cinstitutional provision as shown by the extensive litigation on Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution.
Micheal mansplaining pregnancy and fertility to women all over ireland. I am a woman who is over 40, I could yet face a crisis pregnancy, as could other women my age. We have also been through the years of having no choice in our own country and being treated as little more than reproduction vessels once pregnant, only to witness the next generation of women go through the same thing. So go on, explain to me that women over 40 matter less, are not as invested, and are less relevant when it comes to the outcome of the assembly than, say, a man over 60 like yourself.
@Carol Oates: the Eight Amendment is relevant to all fertile women in particular. The Eight Amendment is relevant to all women and to all Irish citizens.
The Eight Amendment is relevance to those who never had the opportunity to vote in 1983 and to those who vote for the Eight Amendment but who have changed their minds since in light of the demonstrable problems wit the Eight Amendment.
The Eight Amendment is relevant to this who want to retain, repeal or modify the Eight Amendment. The Eight Amendment is relevant to all Irish citizens.
The question then is if the Citizens’ Aasembly is truly representative of the de,ocratjc range of opinion on this matter. On that question, I reserve my answer but overall I think that the Eight Amendmentment as a general Cinstitutional provision bite more severely and acutely on the generation of existing and future fertile women.
@Micheal OLainn: wrong, the Roman Catholic Church never had dominion in this state, the people always had dominion. On several occasions the people ignored the church but on this occasion the people including women wished to enshrine the value of the life of the unborn and to control that law directly in perpetuity.
@Stephen Duffy: An “Irish solution to an Irish problem” – outsourcing to the UK.
Red C, Aren’t they the ones who predicted that the voters would get rid of the Seanad… O God, noooooooooooooooo….
It’s time to announce the referendum for sept or Nov 2017, not 2018!!!!!
@Seán Domhnall O’Sullivan: Enda Kenny will be drawing on his massive multiple pensions by then.
@Micheal OLainn: No he won’t apparently he wants to kiss the popes feet in 2018.
@Kerry Blake: that’s only if he gets his way but he has 3 challengers snapping on his heels. All 3 are willing to address the Referendum on the Eight.
Noticeable spike in Enda’s popularity ratings after his recent visit to the Vatican and open welcome to Pope Francis to visit Ireland.
A wily old fox Kenny.
@Alex Falcone: the issue is more important than Enda Kenny or his sycophancy with the Pope.
The Submissions are now posted to include those delivered to the Assembly up to the 18th November.
It looks like the US “pro-life” side wants to dominate the debate in Ireland.
Well it’s the US pro-abortion side that are pumping money into the debate.. But I suppose for people with double standards like yours that’s fine..!!!!
@Stephen Duffy: money is one thing and both sides are receiving assistance.
It is the large scale intrusion of US zealots into a domestic Irish matter which concerns me. the number of US Submissions and on on,y one side of the debate is an unhealthy interference.
@Stephen Duffy: At least the prochoice accounts are clear and unequivocal. The antichoice groups won’t engage with SIPO and declare where they get the millions for posters, balloons, jumbotrons etc.
Stop delaying the inevitable, you have to wonder how our government can be so utterly inept in almost everything they do.
@Scundered: it is inevitable and it is a matter of time.
It is fortunate that , if there is a Referendum, the vote will be limited to Irish citizens.
The U.S. “Pro-life” lobby have lobbed in a large number of Submissions and are clearly using numbers to try to set the agenda of the Citizens’Assembly.
Waste of space discussion platform to shield a weak Taoiseach
@Joe Doyle: true, but we now have to deal with the hand of cards which we have been given or the “pro-life” side will dominate the Citizens’ Assembly.
@Micheal OLainn: Fcuk ths “Citizens Assembly”,an Absolute Sham Group,who asked for this Assembly in the First place.The Answer is Nobody,they are a Political Group Appointed by our Treasonous Political Elite. Time this “Group ” disbanded,leave the Irish Constitution as it is .The Irish Constitution is Sovereign,Unlike this Monster that IS the European “Onion” Soon to Break up.But you Cant say THAT,under the Ban on Free Speech Act this Comment would be Racist.NO to Abortion in Eire.
@Micheal OLainn: what we have is a failure on the part of folk who identify as ‘pro life’ to accept that it means anti choice and a typical tactic of demanding that most pro choice people want full abortion rights. We saw this in the marriage ref in dilluding ppl there was any threat to opposite sex marriage or the ‘nuclear family.’
@Seán Domhnall O’Sullivan: that is an insightful and true assessment. It is about choice and it is about the extent of the restrictions on that choice.
Surveys indicate that most Irish people don’t want late stage abortions “on demand”.
I well remember the same sex civil marriage debate when those in favour of same sex civil marriage were accused of trying to abolish opposite sex marriage.
“THE CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY”, nothing to do with Marvel comics but I bet they were all if not most from cities if not from Dublin?
#savethe8th
@Keano: repeal the Eight Amendment.
The fact is there are at the very least 50,000 Irish citizens alive today because of the 8th. So that makes it worth saving.
@Stephen Duffy: that is not a fact. It is pure speculation. In any event, the point that people might not have been born who otherwise would have been birn is without any significance. Contraception and infertility lead to a reduction in child birth and no one bemoans that.
A no balls Taoiseach will never need abortion services in any shape or form. Can’t rise to the occasion collar too tight.
The dominant conservative core who do not want abortion on demand will decide this issue.
If there is a referendum then the wording will not be presented in the simplistic manner the pro abortion lobby are clamouring for. They’ll be sadly mistaken for thinking they’re going to pull the wool over the public’s eyes on a matter of human life and the common good.
Mark my words.
This whole assembly is a farce. It is not the job of a hand-picked few to choose what is best for society on any issue. We elect politicians to do this role.
have your say