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National Women’s Council of Ireland Statement on Mairia Cahill and survivors of sexual violence

Published: Monday, October 20, 2014

National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) support Mairia Cahill and commend her bravery in sharing her story. We support  Mairia, and all victims of rape and sexual assault in their search for justice.

Mairia Cahill’s case shines a spotlight on UN Resolution 1325 and the particular vulnerabilities of women in armed conflict, as well as the importance of women having their voices heard in patriarchal societies. The Mairia Cahill case highlights how sexual violence is used against women to dis-empower them and is one of the 'silenced' legacies of the conflict on this island.  This case highlights how difficult it is for sexual violence abuses to come to court and even when they do come to court how difficult it is to secure a conviction.  This case demonstrates the extreme pressure put on women who do come forward, to recant or deny their own testimony.  This makes it even more off-putting for other women with similar experience to seek justice for the crimes committed against them.

NWCI have also long campaigned to highlight the particular vulnerabilities of women in armed conflict to rape and sexual assault, as well as lack of support services and in many cases, justice. We have been working hard to promote these issues under UN Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security. Mairia Cahill’s case highlights the work we need to do to ensure proper supports for women affected by sexual violence during the Troubles.

1325 calls on all parties in conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.  The Irish Government is currently in the process of drafting its second national action plan on UN Resolution 1325 and in relation to the North of Ireland specifically, NWCI has called on the Irish Government to “commit to advocating for dedicated, appropriate policies and services which take into account the particular experiences of women who have lived, worked and often raised families in highly militarised, patriarchal communities”.   Our submission also highlights the need for “services which … provide the necessary prevention and protection measures for women at risk of gender-based violence as well as … supports to those who have experienced violence in conflict”.

This is an opportunity to shine a light on 1325 in the context of Ireland developing a new 1325 National Action plan.  We should use this situation as an opportunity to enhance North South dialogue with women affected by conflict and violence and to hold wide ranging discussions with women and women’s organisations including NWCI on the legacies of the conflict.

Mairia’s case has shown again and again how vulnerable women were in the North during the Troubles, and it is very clear that we need to recognise the extent of our responsibilities to those women affected by conflict. It is obvious, as was raised in our submission, that sufficient attention has not been given to the needs of women affected by conflict residing across the island of Ireland.

As part of this process, ongoing communication is necessary to continuously transmit the message that violence against women will not be tolerated and that perpetrators will be punished. Women-centred justice processes need to be developed, and resources allocated to prosecutions against perpetrators of violence, to provide justice for women and children. We call on those with the responsibility for developing the national action plan to place the resolution of these historic abuses against women, on this island, at the core of Ireland's next action plan.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in the BBC Spotlight programme, we would urge you to contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on 1800 77 88 88 or the Belfast Rape Crisis Centre on 02890 329001/2 from within Northern Ireland or 04890 329001/2 from the Republic of Ireland.