4 March 1999 Edition
Violence against women a major issue
by Ned Kelly
Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, Sinn Fein Assembly member Michelle Gildernew, spokesperson on Women's Issues, told AP/RN there are five issues central to women today - Domestic violence and rape; education, training and employment; Childcare; Health; and Poverty.
Gildernew said: ``The number and ferocity of attacks against women is increasing. There is a need to respond and make ground on this issue, not least in light of attacks like the recent barbaric attack on a young woman in Bangor who was raped by her partner, almost beaten to death and lost her unborn child as a result. These attacks which lead to GBH, ABH or murder.''
Within the context of underfunding for organisations to assist women at risk in violent relationships and the ongoing battle to raise awareness about the unacceptability of violence towards women, Gildernew added that, ``Many women across Ireland have been murdered without charges being laid against anyone, crimes against women do not seem to be given a high priority.''
Gildernew also said: ``The whole sphere of education, training and employment needs to be much more accessible to women, especially mothers. It is about providing proper support to enable women and enable them to develop the skills and confidence to have a life outside the house. Changes in policy, such as the New Deal do not help.''
The associated issue of childcare is also central. Gildernew told AP/RN, ``with one of the lowest level of childcare places available in Europe there has to be real investment into local initiatives like the Whiterock creche in West Belfast. The provision of low cost care, which can also have a direct employment and training spin-off, can create access to jobs and training that are available. It also unburdens other members of the wider family network, who are also mainly women.''
``The accessibility to health care,'' continued the Sinn Fein spokesperson, ``especially in rural areas is poor and about to get worse. South Tyrone Hospital closed the doors of the Maternity and Gynaecological Unit in January, with the nearest Unit over an hour away. Screening programmes for cervical and breast cancer need to be more accessible.''
But poverty, as an issue runs as a web through all the other issues and affects women disproportionately.
She said, ``More needs to be done especially where the social fabric is damaged and exacerbated by drug taking and related crime. We have a responsibility to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to succeed.''
The need to address the issues that affect women within the Assembly will be highlighted in a discussion up at Stormont on International Womens Day, 8 March. Organised by Michelle Gildernew, speakers will include Angela Hegarty from Magee University Faculty of Law, Eileen Calder from the Rape Crisis Centre, Eilish McCabe from the Relatives for Justice, Joanne Carraher from Cumann na Meirleach and Cuban film director Xonia Zayas Aguero.
Derry's Orchard Gallery will also hold an exhibition - ``Once is Too Much'' - publicly launched on Saturday 6 March at 1pm, with workshops from 8-14 March exploring the issue of violence against women. During the work for the exhibition by 17 women from Inchicore, Dublin, 29 women have been violently killed, 19 in their own homes.
Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, Sinn Fein Assembly member Michelle Gildernew, spokesperson on Women's Issues, told AP/RN there are five issues central to women today - Domestic violence and rape; education, training and employment; Childcare; Health; and Poverty.
Gildernew said: ``The number and ferocity of attacks against women is increasing. There is a need to respond and make ground on this issue, not least in light of attacks like the recent barbaric attack on a young woman in Bangor who was raped by her partner, almost beaten to death and lost her unborn child as a result. These attacks which lead to GBH, ABH or murder.''
Within the context of underfunding for organisations to assist women at risk in violent relationships and the ongoing battle to raise awareness about the unacceptability of violence towards women, Gildernew added that, ``Many women across Ireland have been murdered without charges being laid against anyone, crimes against women do not seem to be given a high priority.''
Gildernew also said: ``The whole sphere of education, training and employment needs to be much more accessible to women, especially mothers. It is about providing proper support to enable women and enable them to develop the skills and confidence to have a life outside the house. Changes in policy, such as the New Deal do not help.''
The associated issue of childcare is also central. Gildernew told AP/RN, ``with one of the lowest level of childcare places available in Europe there has to be real investment into local initiatives like the Whiterock creche in West Belfast. The provision of low cost care, which can also have a direct employment and training spin-off, can create access to jobs and training that are available. It also unburdens other members of the wider family network, who are also mainly women.''
``The accessibility to health care,'' continued the Sinn Fein spokesperson, ``especially in rural areas is poor and about to get worse. South Tyrone Hospital closed the doors of the Maternity and Gynaecological Unit in January, with the nearest Unit over an hour away. Screening programmes for cervical and breast cancer need to be more accessible.''
But poverty, as an issue runs as a web through all the other issues and affects women disproportionately.
She said, ``More needs to be done especially where the social fabric is damaged and exacerbated by drug taking and related crime. We have a responsibility to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to succeed.''
The need to address the issues that affect women within the Assembly will be highlighted in a discussion up at Stormont on International Womens Day, 8 March. Organised by Michelle Gildernew, speakers will include Angela Hegarty from Magee University Faculty of Law, Eileen Calder from the Rape Crisis Centre, Eilish McCabe from the Relatives for Justice, Joanne Carraher from Cumann na Meirleach and Cuban film director Xonia Zayas Aguero.
Derry's Orchard Gallery will also hold an exhibition - ``Once is Too Much'' - publicly launched on Saturday 6 March at 1pm, with workshops from 8-14 March exploring the issue of violence against women. During the work for the exhibition by 17 women from Inchicore, Dublin, 29 women have been violently killed, 19 in their own homes.