Protest held over ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence

PROTESTERS gathered in Dublin yesterday to call for emergency action on the ‘shadow pandemic’ of genderbased violence.

Members of the socialist feminist group Rosa held a socially distanced rally outside Leinster House to highlight a lack of Government action.

Campaigners covered their masks with green paint prints to symbolise being silenced.

Speaking at the rally, former TD Ruth Coppinger said: ‘We make this essential protest today on behalf of the 19 women who will contact a Safe Ireland agency for the first time, on behalf of the seven women who won’t be able to get a refuge place, and on behalf of all those who’ll seek help for sexual violence. Calls to all agencies dealing with gender and sexual violence have rocketed during the pandemic.

‘Services are described as at “breaking point”.

‘More than 2,500 women couldn’t find a refuge place during the pandemic. More than a quarter of all calls were first-time calls. This is a crisis, but it’s not being treated as such by Government.’

Ms Coppinger said rape crisis agencies had experienced a 23% increase in contacts, and stressed that only one in ten rapes is reported and even fewer are prosecuted ‘because of the absolutely brutal court system and the victim-blaming culture that is so widespread’.

‘As well as starving agencies of the funds they need, the Dáil has done nothing to begin a campaign of consent-based education that’s needed throughout society – in schools, colleges, workplaces and communities,’ she said, adding: ‘We call for emergency funding and action by the Government on all these issues.’