The 16 Days Campaign.

Nevyn

Are any of you ladies aware of the The 16 Days Campaign ?

WHAT IS THE 16 DAY CAMPAIGN?
The 16 Days Campaign is an international campaign started in 1991 by the Centre for Women's Global Leadership in New Jersey. Since then, over 2,000 organisations in 154 countries have taken part. In Ireland, the 16 Days Campaign continues to gather momentum since the first Women's Aid public action outside Dáil Éireann in November 1996.

DATES
The dates, 25th November (International Day Opposing Violence Against Women) and 10th December (International Human Rights Day) symbolically link violence against women and human rights to show that such violence is a violation of a woman's human rights.

There are various events running all over the country you can find out what is going on near you here http://ireland16days.blogspot.com

THE 'HOME TRUTHS' ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN IRELAND
- 1 in 5 Irish women have experienced domestic violence.
- In 2007, the Women’s Aid National Helpline responded to almost 12,000 calls. There were 8,012 incidents of emotional abuse, 2,457 incidents of physical abuse and 1,408 incidents of economic abuse disclosed. In the same year, 593 incidents of sexual abuse were disclosed to Helpline support workers including 248 rapes.
- Since 1996, 146 women have been murdered in Ireland. 92(63%) of these women were murdered in their own homes. Of all of the resolved cases 50% were murdered by a partner or ex-partner.
- 1 in 4 perpetrators of sexual violence against adult women are partners or former partners.
- 1 in 8 women surveyed in a Dublin maternity hospital had experienced domestic violence while they were pregnant.

For more statistics sign up to the Women's Aid '16 Facts for 16 Days' Email Campaign which runs each day from 25th November to 10th December. Email comms@womensaid.ie

6th

Hey, just thought I'd do up a sig based on your own Thaedydal in case anyone else wants to put one up. Made it fit to the rules so the nasty sigpo dont get you

Nevyn

Thank you 6th, much appreciated.

belfastbelle

Hi there, this is a great campaign and thanks for highlighting it. It is such an important issue and it is great to see all of the different events - big and small - happening from Donegal to Dublin and to Kerry! I don't know if you have seen them, but there were a few posts over on the personal issues forum on this very topic. As well as raising awareness on the issue with the general public hopefully the message reaches women who are experiencing this type of pain and abuse.

I picked up a copy of the Women's Aid 'Love Hearts' postcard in Cafe Bar Deli last week and I thought is was a really good way of highlight the emotional side of domestic violence - the name calling, the threats, the fear.

Thanks for posting the link, I'll certainly be supporting it.

Nevyn

It's the posts in PI which had me go and post up the info as I was looking for stats to reply to one of the threads.

cuckoo

Thaedydal wrote: »

It's the posts in PI which had me go and post up the info as I was looking for stats to reply to one of the threads.

Reading some of those threads is upsetting - it's good to be reminded of all the fantastic work that (under funded) organisations like Woman's Aid are doing.

Elle Victorine

1 in 8 suffer domestic violence when pregnant? That's just insane!!!

Nevyn

Due thier partner not wanting to be pregnant and hitting them in hope of causing a miscarrige or feeling that she got preggers to trap them or punish them or that now she is pregnant she won't leave and no one else will want her so they can do as they please to her

All the staff in all maternity hospitals are trained to look for the signs.

tallaght01

Elle Victorine wrote: »

1 in 8 suffer domestic violence when pregnant? That's just insane!!!

But how do they define domestic violence? I hate the overexaggerating of numbers. People look at those figures and assume they're not true. Maybe they are, but I'd be interested to see their data collection techniques.

It's like how we keep getting told in hospitals that one in 2 of us gets assualted every year. They count someone raising their voice to us as "assault". IN that case, I get assaulted most days. But only one person has ever laid a hand on me in work to try and do me harm.

The important thing about violence directed towards women is to get proper reliable reproducible stats about how often it's actually happening, where and when it's happening, and why it's happening.

The only data I have seen for Ireland showed about 3% of women suffereing domestic violence (whether physical or emotional) during pregnancy. That is A) more in line with other countries and 3% too much.

If they're including couples having a row as "assault", then it's just insulting to women who are actually being beaten, or abused mentally.

Having worked in maternity services for many years in some very poor areas (whwere rates are, sadly, higher), I'd be amazed if 1 in 8 women actually experience physical violence during pregnancy. Having said that, it's been a good few years since I worked in mat services in ireland, so i could be wrong.

belfastbelle

I've heard that statistics before - it comes from a study carried out in the Rotunda Hospital.

I very much believe it and a case is going through the courts, which highlights this type of abuse - from today's Irish Times:

Man tried for rape and imprisonment
A Co Clare man has gone on trial accused of falsely imprisoning his former partner, who was pregnant, for seven hours during which he allegedly raped her, threatened to kill her and hit her in the face with a shotgun.
The man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to six charges arising out of the incident in her home in September 2007. He has pleaded guilty to one charge of assault causing her harm.
The hearing continues before Mr Justice Barry White and a jury.


I also think it is worth pointing out that it is very well established that domestic violence can affect any woman regardless of socio-economic status. So it is not confined or higher in 'poor areas'. It might be more visible but not more likely to occur.

LolaLuv

Thaed, what's the code so I can add that graphic to my sig?

Nevyn

[noparse][/noparse]

LolaLuv

Thanks!

panda100

I have one criticism of the campaign and the general approach to anti- domestic violence groups. The work women's aid does is fantastic in providing much needed support to victims of domestic violence and I dont wish to diminsh their work.

However, is this 'campaign' really tackling the problems behind domestic violence?
Yes, we all know domestic violence is an issue but I fail to see what statistic upon statistics is going to do to solve the problem.

I have to admit that I feel nothing but sympathy and pity for those people who feel the only way to vent their frustrations is to hit their patner. I find often we can be quick to judge and vehmently put down those who beat their wives,or to a much smaller extent, husbands.
Nobody is ever born a wife beater. Some people have had it engrained in them from a young age when they see their father hitting their mothers, some are just so frustrated at the pressure's of modern living that its the only way they can feel in control in a socety that often makes us feel so powerless and lost.

Already in the US as the recession starts to bite there has been a sharp increase in the number of women turing up at womens shelters with broken arms and black eyes. I think we have to ask ourselves why is this? Why does domestic violence exist and get to the root causes. I think that sort of thinking would be a lot more effective that 16 days of depressing statistics that really, under the current system, none of us can do anything to stop.

Spyral

tallaght01 wrote: »

But how do they define domestic violence? I hate the overaggerating of numbers. People look at those figures and assume they're not true. Maybe they are, but I'd be interested to see their data collection techniques.

The important thing about violence directed towards women is to get proper reliable reproducible stats about how often it's actually happening, where and when it's happening, and why it's happening.

The only data I have seen for Ireland showed about 3% of women suffereing domestic violence (whether physical or emotional) during pregnancy. That is A) more in line with other countries and 3% too much.

If they're including couples having a row as "assault", then it's just insulting to women who are actually being beaten, or abused mentally.

I agree, it depends what is defined as assault, are these things corroborated? How are they gathered if the women don't report it to the police?
In addition more men die from violence than women but no one passed any remarks. In addition there are many womens groups, but few men's groups. In drogheda for example in Louth, there is a very high suicide rate. There are at least 7 womens group in the town but I don't think there is an AMEN group.

If shouting is an 'assault' and the women shouts back is that an 'assault' back? In addition according to AMEN , "Battered men: almost 40% of domestic violence victims each year." How does that fit with the 1 in 5 women. If 1 in 5 is just over 60% then 40% should equate to 1 in 6.3 men are victims of domestic violence each year.

Peoplesseem to forget that men die younger than women, that men are more liable to commit suicide, that there is more research into womens health issues as opposed to men's health issues.

I suppose what I would like to know is why isn't it a campaign against domestic violence altogether as opposed to a biased anti male campaign?

Hellm0

"Centre for Women's Global Leadership"

Far from a misogynist I am but does the name of this organization strike anyone else as slightly...odd?

"The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) develops and facilitates women's leadership"

Hmm...

"The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) was founded as a project of Douglass College in 1989 and is a unit of the Institute for Women's Leadership (IWL)—a consortium of seven women's programs at Rutgers University created to study and promote how and why women lead, and to develop programs that prepare women of all ages to lead effectively."

Again...odd


"CWGL's programs promote the leadership of women and advance feminist perspectives in policy-making processes in local, national and international arenas."

I for one welcome our new radically feminist master!

Interesting question as to the validity of the statistics proposed by this group.

cuckoo

panda100 wrote: »

Already in the US as the recession starts to bite there has been a sharp increase in the number of women turing up at womens shelters with broken arms and black eyes. I think we have to ask ourselves why is this? Why does domestic violence exist and get to the root causes. I think that sort of thinking would be a lot more effective that 16 days of depressing statistics that really, under the current system, none of us can do anything to stop.

I think the statistics provoke discussions like the one on this thread. They are a depressing set of factoids and numbers - but they make me stop, pause and go 'huh? what the...what's going on....why?'.

Any sociologically minded people know reading this know the 'why'? Why is it that stresses like the effects of a recession lead people to hurt each other? And, i really don't think this one can be blamed on the banks...

Spyral wrote: »

I suppose what I would like to know is why isn't it a campaign against domestic violence altogether as opposed to a biased anti male campaign?

I don't see it as a biased 'anti male' campaign. The drink driving campaigns aren't 'anti-driver' - they're 'anti-drivers-who-drink-and-drive'. The 16 Days Campaign is focusing on the violence and abuse experienced by women and children, because it's like triage in the accident and emergency dept - it's the most pressing need.

Really, there's no way at all that this could be viewed as an 'anti male' campaign, unless there is something intrinsic and inescapably male about abusing women, which would be an insult to the majority of men who do not (and would not) commit domestic violence and abuse.

tallaght01

Anyone is entitled to set up a lobby group for whatever reason they choose. I have no problems with groups defending the interests of women. it's up to men to set up groups defending our interestes, but we don't.

I think the real harm is the potential to "cry wolf" with stats. You can desensitise people by overaggerating with stats.

It probably is more important to deal with women's issue in terms of domestic violence, as most research from overseas suggests women and kids are the ones who get badly hurt.

I'm not sure lobby groups should be the ones tackling the causes of these peoblems, panda. There's very little they could do. my understanding of how lobbying works is that they bring issues to the attention of the authorities, and push them to do something about it. That's why it's important to be accurate about your stats. You need people in power to take you seriously, as there are so many lobby groups overexaggerating their claims. I'm not sure what a feminist group could do to, say, reduce poverty,or the other risk factors for violence in the home.

Poverty is one of the risk factors for domestic abuse. I know someone said previously that it's not, but it is.

In fact, tackling poverty would have a huge impact on violence aswell as health and a lot of other issues.

What would also be useful would be some PROPER research in Ireland, too. It's been about 10 years since our last decent study. Another big study would be useful to compare the intervention strategies of the last decade.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Spyral

The drink driving campaigns aren't 'anti-driver' - they're 'anti-drivers-who-drink-and-drive'. The 16 Days Campaign is focusing on the violence and abuse experienced by women and children, because it's like triage in the accident and emergency dept - it's the most pressing need.

Really, there's no way at all that this could be viewed as an 'anti male' campaign, unless there is something intrinsic and inescapably male about abusing women, which would be an insult to the majority of men who do not (and would not) commit domestic violence and abuse.

Most pressing need ? Even if (according to AMEN who could be equally biased of course) 40% of men suffer domestic abuse ? Then surely the most pressing need is to address the issue of violence rather than the gender.

In regards to anti male the stats tell us that most of it 90% is caused by men, and often that man is the womans husband or partner. In addition have you ever seen a drink driving ad in this country where the perpetrator was female ? What about the 'slow down boys' ad ? This are highly anti-male as research shows that while men tend speed more [causing nasty accidents I do agree] they are better drivers when it comes to maneuvering and have higher spacial awareness than women.

cuckoo

Spyral wrote: »

Most pressing need ? Even if (according to AMEN who could be equally biased of course) 40% of men suffer domestic abuse ? Then surely the most pressing need is to address the issue of violence rather than the gender.

In regards to anti male the stats tell us that most of it 90% is caused by men, and often that man is the womans husband or partner. In addition have you ever seen a drink driving ad in this country where the perpetrator was female ? What about the 'slow down boys' ad ? This are highly anti-male as research shows that while men tend speed more [causing nasty accidents I do agree] they are better drivers when it comes to maneuvering and have higher spacial awareness than women.

More women die at the hands of their male partners than men die at the hands of their female partners.

More men die on the roads as a result of their own driving than women.

I really don't think that domestic violence or drive safe campaigns are anti-male. These campaigns have limited resources, and are choosing to direct them where the need is the greatest.

Is the US hunt for Osama Bin Laden anti-male? He's a man, and they're looking for him.
(o/topic: is bin laden the new hitler for a godwin's law for our ages?)

Mikel

These threads are like Groundhog Day. Someone quotes a statistic of 1 in 3/4/5 from Women's Aid/Amnesty etc and in every case I can remember once you look into the detail the statistics or the methodology are dodgy.
I believe you will never eradicate the very serious problem, simply because as I seem to remember saying on a previous thread like this, that is not the goal of the Women's lobby group of the day. They will claim it is but I think they are more interested in posturing and holding sanctimonious vigils outside Dail Eireann.
Think about what they do, they drag up any dodgy study that backs up their claims. But they are easily discredited, which undermines their campaign from the outset.
This allied with the fact that to most people the idea that 1 in 4 women have been sexually assaulted does not ring true means they will treat the cause with suspicion.
Honestly, my gut reaction to this kind of thing is to think that if you entertain the issue as they present it means that I could easily find myself on the wrong end of a charge sheet for this offence.
I feel that the shock statistic is more important to them than solving the problem.

To the poster that asked why there hasn't been a study done in the last 10 years, that's a good question. But I don't think they want a study done because it wouldn't back up their claims.
The last major one done in the UK for example didn't fit in with what they wanted so from time to time they will quote from poorly designed surveys which do back them up

GirlInterrupted

tallaght01 wrote: »

But how do they define domestic violence? I hate the overexaggerating of numbers. People look at those figures and assume they're not true. Maybe they are, but I'd be interested to see their data collection techniques.

It's like how we keep getting told in hospitals that one in 2 of us gets assualted every year. They count someone raising their voice to us as "assault". IN that case, I get assaulted most days. But only one person has ever laid a hand on me in work to try and do me harm.

The important thing about violence directed towards women is to get proper reliable reproducible stats about how often it's actually happening, where and when it's happening, and why it's happening.

The only data I have seen for Ireland showed about 3% of women suffereing domestic violence (whether physical or emotional) during pregnancy. That is A) more in line with other countries and 3% too much.

If they're including couples having a row as "assault", then it's just insulting to women who are actually being beaten, or abused mentally.

Having worked in maternity services for many years in some very poor areas (whwere rates are, sadly, higher), I'd be amazed if 1 in 8 women actually experience physical violence during pregnancy. Having said that, it's been a good few years since I worked in mat services in ireland, so i could be wrong.

At one point, when I actually volunteered in a shelter, one of the criteria for defining abuse was ''being denied the use of the family car''.

There are degrees of abuse, as in most things, and while I'm certain that in the majority of stated cases of abuse that that is indeed the case, a singular definition must be appropriated before abuse is confirmed.

johnnyskeleton

panda100 wrote:

However, is this 'campaign' really tackling the problems behind domestic violence?
Yes, we all know domestic violence is an issue but I fail to see what statistic upon statistics is going to do to solve the problem.

Spyral wrote: »

I suppose what I would like to know is why isn't it a campaign against domestic violence altogether as opposed to a biased anti male campaign?

I agree with both of these comments. The issues raised by the OP:

- domestic violence.
- emotional abuse, physical abuse, economic abuse(?) and sexual abuse.
- murder

are not limited to women. Claiming this is a women's only issue and, more importantly, providing statistics that relate to women only seems like the campaign of a man-hater rather than someone who actually cares about domestic violence, sexual abuse and homicide.

Why not a Human Rights campaign simpliciter? Why not a campaign against violence simpliciter?

I think the reason why is because the female orientated campaign allows women to paint men as the sole perpetrators of domestic violence (and murder!), which is simply not the case.

Jules

This is a forum directed mainly at women and will there for have more threads concerning matters that affect women. Yes they may affect other genders/social groups/races.. whatever but again, THIS IS A FORUM DIRECTLY MAINLY AT WOMEN.

tallaght01

Jules wrote: »

This is a forum directed mainly at women and will there for have more threads concerning matters that affect women. Yes they may affect other genders/social groups/races.. whatever but again, THIS IS A FORUM DIRECTLY MAINLY AT WOMEN.

I think the point being made, though, is that by removing half the population (the sadly but truly more politically powerful half of the population) from the solution, you are doing a disservice to the women affected by the domestic violence.

cuckoo

tallaght01 wrote: »

I think the point being made, though, is that by removing half the population (the sadly but truly more politically powerful half of the population) from the solution, you are doing a disservice to the women affected by the domestic violence.

I don't understand how men are removed from the solution.

I'm just really confused by the responses here from some posters about this campaign, I know picking apart stats is the closest thing to a national sport that boards.ie has, but i'm still bemused by this.

How can campaigning against domestic violence, and abuse, not be a Good Thing?

tallaght01

cuckoo wrote: »

I don't understand how men are removed from the solution.

I'm just really confused by the responses here from some posters about this campaign, I know picking apart stats is the closest thing to a national sport that boards.ie has, but i'm still bemused by this.

How can campaigning against domestic violence, and abuse, not be a Good Thing?

It's a good (great, even) thing when
A) It's all inclusive
and
The stats can be taken seriously by those who might have the power to do something about it

Rehashing old, dubious stats is not the way forward.

Also, I wasn't saying that this particular campaign removes men from the solution, I was just trying to represent the point others were making, and rebutting the fact that a womens forum should be buiased towards women in terms of domestic violence. I personally think that the solution is all inclusive.

Mikel

cuckoo wrote: »

How can campaigning against domestic violence, and abuse, not be a Good Thing?

That would be a Good Thing, but that never seems to be the point

metrovelvet

GirlInterrupted wrote: »

At one point, when I actually volunteered in a shelter, one of the criteria for defining abuse was ''being denied the use of the family car''.

There are degrees of abuse, as in most things, and while I'm certain that in the majority of stated cases of abuse that that is indeed the case, a singular definition must be appropriated before abuse is confirmed.

I dont know where you were volunteering but I can see in certain instances where being denied use of the car would be an abusive power trip. Lets say you live, as many do, in plaaces with no public transport. How are you supposed to get food for yourself and your children without the car? How are you supposed to leave someone abusive with no way to get anywhere. In certain cases it could be seen as a means to imprison someone.

Nevyn

Or not being able to get to a dr.

Mikel

metrovelvet wrote: »

I dont know where you were volunteering but I can see in certain instances where being denied use of the car would be an abusive power trip. Lets say you live, as many do, in plaaces with no public transport. How are you supposed to get food for yourself and your children without the car? How are you supposed to leave someone abusive with no way to get anywhere. In certain cases it could be seen as a means to imprison someone.

That doesn't mean that being denied the use of the car = abuse.
Again, what you are doing is widening the scope of the definition to the point it becomes meaningless.
I could deny my wife the use of the car because she keeps crashing it. Does that make it abuse? No.
This way of thinking could be applied to anything, add enough 'what ifs' and voila! it's 'abusive'.

In certain cases it could be seen as a means to imprison someone.

if there was such as case, there would be other things of a more serious nature that would render the inclusion of such a criterion redundant

metrovelvet

Not at all. I'm providing a context in which it becomes quite meaningful and is abusive.

Dragan

cuckoo wrote: »

I don't understand how men are removed from the solution.

I'm just really confused by the responses here from some posters about this campaign, I know picking apart stats is the closest thing to a national sport that boards.ie has, but i'm still bemused by this.

How can campaigning against domestic violence, and abuse, not be a Good Thing?

Because what is it going to acheive? How much benefit will all the money, time and effort that people put into this campaing actually have?

I mean, who are they aiming this at? Women? Men? Chances are if you are the type of person to physically abuse another then an add on the telly or a sig on boards is not going to help.

Raising awareness? Already quite aware, thank you very much.

Chances are if the people behind this would just put the money into a shelter, free counselling and other avenues of suppport it would have a better impact.

imho.

Nevyn

Dragan wrote: »

Raising awareness? Already quite aware, thank you very much.

That great but not everyone is you and it is still for many such a taboo subject that until it starts happening to them they are in the dark.

Dragan wrote: »

Chances are if the people behind this would just put the money into a shelter, free counselling and other avenues of suppport it would have a better impact.

imho.

Actually if you had bothered to click on the links you would see that they already do provide " shelters, free counseling and other avenues of support " but people need to know those services are there.

IF this thread or the campaign get 1 person who is in an abusive relationship the help they need or makes them reach out and look for help or makes 1 have a think about partner abuse and domestic abuse and resolve never to be the abused or the abuser then the time and electrons that go into the campaign has been worth it IMHO.

Nevyn

Oh and as for all the rubbish about leaving 'men' out of the equation, I agree that it is a male issue also not just in terms that men can be and are victims of partner abuse but that the fathers, sons, brothers, friends, of victims are effected and play a part in saying such abuse is not to be tolerated and is not an acceptable way to treat anyone and esp not the person who is ment to be our partner.

But as Jules pointed out this IS the ladies lounge and I choose to place it here to talk about these issues from a female point of view with the majority of other posters who are female.

I will happily applaud and support any poster esp a male poster who wants to start a thread on this topic from a male perspective in another forum with a male remit.

Dragan

Thaedydal wrote: »

Actually if you had bothered to click on the links you would see that they already do provide " shelters, free counseling and other avenues of support " but people need to know those services are there.

Eh.......where did i say they didn't? I said if they put the money for all this campaigning etc into those avenues, it would be, in my opinion, a much better move.

With regard to campainging in general, the people who these folk NEED to reach, that is to say the victims of the abuse are hihgly unlike to ever see this information in this format. That is a simple truth.

IF this thread or the campaign get 1 person who is in an abusive relationship the help they need or makes them reach out and look for help or makes 1 have a think about partner abuse and domestic abuse and resolve never to be the abused or the abuser then the time and electrons that go into the campaign has been worth it IMHO.

And with all due respect Thae it is exactly this line of thinking that allows ineffectual and pointless waste of money to continue. If something is only reaching 1 person that thing is a complete failure.

Nevyn

Dragan wrote: »

Eh.......where did i say they didn't? I said if they put the money for all this campaigning etc into those avenues, it would be, in my opinion, a much better move.

What is the point of having a web presence if you do not use it, I think it is great to see that it is being used.

Dragan wrote: »

With regard to campainging in general, the people who these folk NEED to reach, that is to say the victims of the abuse are hihgly unlike to ever see this information in this format. That is a simple truth.

I disagree from just having been able to link info from those sites to people over my 6 years on this site alone it has been helpful to being able to reach people who are in need and make others aware. And those in turn then are equipped to pass it on.

Dragan wrote: »

And with all due respect Thaed it is exactly this line of thinking that allows ineffectual and pointless waste of money to continue. If something is only reaching 1 person that thing is a complete failure.

I was talking about my time in making some small effort to make a difference.

I absolutely fúcking hate that when this topic come up that it gets hopped on and people try to make less of it
or say they don't believe it happens and side track the issue into other stuff rather then say, Domestic abuse is
intolerable, it is not excusable and it happens far to often.

Dragan

Thaedydal wrote: »

I absolutely fúcking hate that when this topic come up that it gets hopped on and people try to make less of it
or say they don't believe it happens and side track the issue into other stuff rather then say, Domestic abuse is
intolerable, it is not excusable and it happens far to often.

And i definitively never said anything like that.

I can't actually see anyone say that in this thread. Asking for solid numbers around these things is not "making less of it".

It's asking for a bit of proof that the people doing the asking have some kind of foothold in reality.

JC 2K3

Re: the whole men being left out thing, it's easy to say that this campaign doesn't disregard the fact that men get abused, it's just not the focus of this particular one etc., but unfortunately, such a campaign can come across as slightly anti-male.

In the same way that a lot of women, presumably, feel great sympathy for female victims of abuse due to being members of the same gender, a lot of men feel uncomfortable with statistics telling them that 20% of men in relationships are abusive, or that one in four men attending college are rapists (assuming no serial rapists and a 50:50 male:female divide). This is why such statistics are questioned and a lot of men are unlikely to support something like this.

Nevyn

I don't think those fact if they are right are anti men it think they are anti abusive arseholes and anti rapists.

I for one would love to see that more men speak out against rape and domestic abuse
saying to their friends and peers "that **** is not cool".

Nevyn

http://ireland16days.blogspot.com/2008/12/16-days-in-ireland-day-13.html

Today is Day 13 of the 16 Days Campaign. The Yana North Cork Domestic Violence Project have organised a bingo evening to raise funds for the project in Woodview Drive Community Centre, Mallow at 3pm.

There are 4 days left in the campaign so you still have time to support the events running throughout the 16 Days period (25th November to 10th December):

Events which began earlier in the 16 Days continue today, including:

* The Women's Aid 'Love Hearts' Postcard Awareness Campaign
* The Women's Aid '16 Facts for 16 Days' Email Campaign
* Sonas Housing Association Postcard Awareness Campaign
* 'In Her Shoes' exhibitions in Westport, Castlebar, Ballina, Claremorris and Belmullet (Mayo) and in the Solas Family Resource Centre, Headford, and Aonad Family Resource Centre, Galway
* Newpark Close Family Resource Centre in Kilkenny will start their exhibition entitled 'Secret Life'.
* Northwest Roscommon CDP Ltd will also be running an "In Her Shoes" Exhibition in support of the 16 Campaign.
* St. Fergal's Family Resource Centre 'Don't Bring Me Flowers' Campaign in Bray
* The South West Kerry Women's Association 16 Days Art Competition
* Castlerea Women's Group, Co. Roscommon 'Shine a Light' awareness campaign
* Ronanstown CDP, Dublin 'Light a Candle Campaign'
* The Doras Buí community 'vision wall' and large banner display, Coolock, Dublin 5
* Newbridge Family Resource Centre's 'Leave Your Mark against Violence against Women' Campaign
* Ringsend Action Project, Dublin 4 'The Phone' Campaign
* Aoibneas Women and Children's Refuge in Coolock, Dublin 5 '16 Days - 16 Scenarios' email campaign
* Donegal Women's Domestic Violence Service Art and Poetry Exhibition
* YANA, North Cork Domestic Violence Project, 'Where there is darkness there is light' 16 Days Campaign
* Inishowen Women's Outreach will be carrying out training and awareness raising sessions in local health centres and surgeries throughout the 16 Days.

Other events may be taking place around the country. Contact your local domestic violence service or Rape Crisis Centre directly.

belfastbelle

I think that is it unfair to say that resources would be better used in providing services rather than raising awareness - if you did a bit of research you would find that all of these support agencies provide information and support to women experiencing domestic violence 365 days of the year.

The 16 Days Campaign as far as I can see is a specific 16 day period set aside to raise awareness about the issue - for the general public and for women who may benefit from knowing what help is available.

There is, imho, still a need to debunk all of the myths surrounding violence against women as there are plenty of out there in Irish society.

metrovelvet

Dragan wrote: »

With regard to campainging in general, the people who these folk NEED to reach, that is to say the victims of the abuse are hihgly unlike to ever see this information in this format. That is a simple truth.
.

Why do you say this? How do you know this? Maybe its not just the victims who need to see this,but their neighbors,communties, families, children, etc.

Dragan

metrovelvet wrote: »

Why do you say this? How do you know this? Maybe its not just the victims who need to see this,but their neighbors,communties, families, children, etc.

Eh, based of various years of helping out with other charities, organisations, campaigns etc.

I can apply the exact same question to people who think i am wrong.

Let me put it this way, other than Thae's posts and the odd sig i have seen nothing, anywhere, about this.

belfastbelle

So, you didn't see all of the newspapers on 25th November which featured a picture of the 5 brides at the Women's Aid demo outside the Dail the day before, or any of the postcards in the dublin cafes and restaurants, or any of the chatter online?

I suspect that we don't hear it on TV, radio, bus shelters etc is that the organisation/s are doing brilliant work on miniscule budgets.

Nevyn

Dragan wrote: »

Let me put it this way, other than Thae's posts and the odd sig i have seen nothing, anywhere, about this.

Which was why I made a point of having the sig and starting the thread
for those who had not seen it campaign cos they aren't' watching the new or reading the paper or subscribed to irishblogs or any of the other online place which are taking part in and reporting on the 16 days campaign which is a global campaign.

Again there is a list of all the events being run NATIONWIDE, all around the country as part of this.

The whole point is awareness raising and if I have managed to help in that then that my altruism appeased for a while.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1125/1227486545306.html

Protection urged for women suffering abuse
In this section »


GENEVIEVE CARBERY

LEGAL PROTECTION for women experiencing abuse in relationships outside of marriage was urged by a charity yesterday.

Almost a quarter of calls to the Women's Aid helpline last year were from women being abused by their ex-spouse.

Women's Aid yesterday launched a 16-day campaign on domestic violence and marked the eve of the international day for the elimination of violence against women.

Women dressed as brides holding love-heart placards stood outside the Dáil for the launch. One in five hearts read "raped or beaten", as one-fifth of Irish women experience domestic abuse, the organisation said.

However, many women experience violence outside the marital context, by boyfriends, cohabitees and ex-husbands, but many cannot avail of protection, Margaret Martin, director of Women's Aid, said. She called on the Government to use the new Civil Partnership Bill to "extend protection from domestic violence to all those experiencing it" by removing "all residency requirements for domestic violence safety and protection orders". This would mean people dating and post-separation could also have protection.

She compared the abuses experienced by women in the home to those suffered by prisoners of conscience. "The type and levels of violence which women in Ireland experience at home is shockingly similar, from being tied and beaten to denied sleep or food and drink to regular rapes.

metrovelvet

Why only outside of marriage?

Nevyn

Cos if you are married and experiencing domestic abuse you are offered more protection under the law then if you are not.

metrovelvet

Thaedydal wrote: »

Cos if you are married and experiencing domestic abuse you are offered more protection under the law then if you are not.

Really? That seems a little disgusting. Can you elaborate?

Nevyn

http://www.womensaid.ie/pages/services/legal.htm

Who can avail of Protection through the Courts?

You are eligible to apply for the above orders if you belong to one of the following categories:

* Married Couple - a married person can apply for protection against violence by their spouse.
* Cohabiting Couples - The protection available depends on how long the couple have been living together, and who owns the family home. If you have been living with your partner for 6 months out of the previous 12 months, you can apply for a safety order. To apply for a barring order, you must be living with your partner for 6 months out of the previous 9 months. Orders will not be granted if the violent person owns or has greater ownership of the family home than you do.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/birth-family-relationships/problems-in-marriages-and-relationships/barring_safety_and_protection_orders

Rules

If you are married, and can show the court that your spouse is violent in any way towards you or the children, you can get an order against him/her no matter how long you have lived together and even if he/she owns most or all of the house.

If you are not married, you can get an order against a violent partner if:

* you have been living together for a prescribed length of time (six out of the previous twelve months for a safety order, or six out of nine months for a barring order)
* he/she does not own most or all of the house you are living in.