13 October 2005
Dr. Henry: I thank Senator White for providing such important statistics to the House. I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, on the amount of work he has done in giving additional support to Women's Aid and for bringing the issue of domestic violence into increased public view. He and I met recently at the launch of the Rape Crisis Centre report. The Rape Crisis Centre is now 25 years old and it is depressing that so many rapes still take place in a domestic situation, where the assailant is known to the victim and is perhaps a family friend or family member. These are the cases which are least likely to be pursued through the courts because victims feel they will not be believed if they tell what happened within their homes. I am glad Senator Minihan referred to the issue of elder violence. As soon as helplines are installed, it is found that they are used by a considerable number of the older age group.
Reference was made to the courts. It is unfortunate that barring order cases take so long to come to court. Frequently, the woman - if it is a woman - can be intimidated or placated into withdrawing her complaint, which is a pity because the abuse can often be repeated. The Judiciary has had some education in the area of domestic violence but more would probably be useful. Senators will remember a case from some decades ago when, with regard to a very violent situation, the judge advised the husband and wife to go out to dinner, have a couple of steaks and a bottle of wine, and all would be well. The judge was living in a very different milieu to the one in which the unfortunate couple lived.
I accept that drink has some influence on violence. However, the Joint Committee on Health and Children heard an interesting presentation some weeks ago by women from the west who are involved in the Rape Crisis Centre there and in helping women in violent situations in rural areas. I was taken by the contribution of one of the women. She said that while a man may get drunk in the pub, he does not start to beat up the barman. He might then get a taxi home but he does not beat up the taxi driver. However, when he gets home, he somehow feels he can beat up the person at home. While drink is important in making people lose control of themselves, they manage to control themselves with a barman or a taxi driver and it is only when they get home that the beating begins. While the role of drink is an important factor, we must not let it become an excuse for everything. It is fine for people to apologise the next day and say they were drunk, but it is worth remembering that woman's point.
I compliment the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan, with regard to this issue - I am glad the Leader is in the House to hear this. Yesterday he launched the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, report on World Population Day. In particular, he referred to that part of the report which deals with gender-based violence, which happens not only in developed countries but in developing countries as well.
We must encourage governments in these countries to set up programmes.
The explanatory memorandum of the UNFPA report states that gender based violence kills and harms as many women and girls between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer, that the toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined and that the cost to countries in increased health care expenditure, legal fees, policing and losses in educational achievement and productivity are commensurately high. It further states that national campaigns against gender based violence are one of the quick win solutions recommended by the UN millennium project and that in some countries, efforts are already under way because gender based violence is so widely tolerated, successful action ultimately requires social transformation, effective law enforcement and a strengthened judiciary aimed at ending impunity and that gender sensitive education and the mobilisation of communities and opinion leaders are needed to prevent violence. Needless to say, men must be engaged to take a strong stand on this issue.
I am delighted the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has raised this. I note he is to engage the former Senator and President, Mary Robinson, who has a long history of promoting human rights and has great knowledge of gender issues, to help in his campaign. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, for all the work he has done in this area.
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