women's day school: on sexual violence

by Anon Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:39

Fair play to all who took part in the women's day school, well done for raising important issues and making others aware. Could I just ask why all the posters talking about sexual violence were left up in ss? Please remember that someone that also makes use of seomra spraoi could be very upset by what is writtten on those posters. I have nothing but respect for people who deal with topics such as rape, but I'd rather not have to see it plastered all over the walls.
I'm sorry if that comes across as rude or anything.

by ragster - RAG Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:31

They were left up (for about a week or two) so that people who did not attend the day school could see some of the stuff discussed.

On another note, the day was not just about sexual violence, but also about how we can be sure that we are in a consentual situation when we are with someone, about verbal and non-verbal consent.
We can all cross people's personal boundaries and we were trying to move the discussion away from a 'violent stranger lurking in the dark alley' type discussion of sexual assault.

It was a suprisingly fun day for such a heavy topic, the role-playing was great, as was the self-defence.

by redjade Mon Sep 11, 2006 21:24

To republica and others,

Next time you wish to upload photos of something like this that has a lot of text but cannot be read when small (or 460 pixels wide or less, as on indy ie....)

you can upload images that are:
Maximum File size: 1000 KB
Maximum Width: 2000 pixels

This means that you could have uploaded much bigger versions of these images and people could have clicked on them to read the full sized versions - which would have been easier to read.

I hope that was clear(?).

personally, i enjoy reading meeting notes like this, so thx

by anon Tue Sep 12, 2006 01:55

>Please remember that someone that also makes use of seomra spraoi could be very upset by what is writtten on those posters.

well count your blessings you have not been on the recieving end of anything worse .

>but I'd rather not have to see it plastered all over the walls.

Some folks would perfer it was never spoken of at all

by Madam k - The Unmanageables Tue Sep 12, 2006 13:01

335 clients used the Dublin Rape crisis centre`s councilling sevices last year

263 vicitms accompanied to Rotunda sexsual assault treatment unit

95 reported attacks to Gardai

5 cases were tried in the courts

resulting in

4 convictions

1 aquittal

34 per cent of charges dropped .

by . Tue Sep 12, 2006 13:32

Ellen O`Malley-Dunlop states "We are calling for a change in the judicial system and how victims of child abuse and sexsual assault are delt with .At present a vistim is a witness and does not have parity of legal representation.Many people do not even make reports to the gardai if they know the assailant.Two extra sexsual assault treatment units were recommended for Galway and the midlandsa more than four years agoand we are still waiting.It`s scandalous.If someone is attacked in Galway ,they have to travel to Dublin for forensic examination and that is simply not good enough.There is only one such unit in dublin and it is overwhelmed"

.

sexsual abuse ,not a pretty sight

by author Tue Sep 12, 2006 16:06

So then hypothetically if someone walked into seomra spraoi who had suffered a severe sexual assault and was trying to deal with it,
through whatever way they can,
do you think that those people seeing what happened to them up in detail all over the place will be beneficail to them?
They could have gone to the meeting if they wanted to.
Its about choice,and you blatantly took that choice on behalf of everyone.

by modes - . Tue Sep 12, 2006 16:07

Rape/domestic violence/Harassment/=power

these violences are about power and using sex as a weapon.

They come in many forms including very vulnerable times:-as a tool of war.
as a tool of control, and as an offense against individuality.

Has dr Neary been charged. this violence occured and has not been addressed
adequately by the ex female health minister.

Ps. if you don't want it in you face or the size is wrong, suggestion confront
the issue.

by Anon Tue Sep 12, 2006 18:12

Well "Anon2Anon" I was on the receiving end of something worse.

Think before you speak

by day school participant Tue Sep 12, 2006 18:40

The point of leaving them up I'm sure was not to upset anyone who has been sexually assaulted.
If you read what is written on the posters it is not a graphic (or otherwise) description of assault or rape, it is about why people don't talk about assault, about misconceptions and myths surrounding rape.
They talk about consent and how to express and read consent.
Was anyone upset or offended by them? If so obviously we apologise, that was not the intent.
But there were women there who had been assaulted, that could hardly be avoided in a room of 30 women. As one of those women, I for one wanted other people to know it is not an issue which should be hidden.
One of the reasons (writen on the posters actually) for why rape and assault is surrounded by guilt and fear of speaking out, why it is tolerated, is because it is silenced and hidden.

again, no upset or harm was intended I'm sure.

by Anon2Anon Tue Sep 12, 2006 19:51

So was I .It took about five years before I could function as I had before .We could meet ?

by Marie Tue Sep 12, 2006 20:53

http://www.drcc.ie