‘Our phones have not stopped ringing since Josepha Madigan said she was sexually assaulted’
A FRONTLINE domestic violence group said its ‘phones haven’t stopped’ since Junior Minister Josepha Madigan revealed she is a survivor of sexual assault, in a powerful speech in the Dáil this week.
Priscilla Grainger, founder of Stop Domestic Violence in Ireland, said they received 180 calls from women and men in recent days – double the number of the week previous.
‘If every minister did what Josepha Madigan did this week, look at the awareness that would raise to stamp it out for men and women. I’ve no doubt every minister knows someone in their life who has suffered at the hands of domestic violence or sexual assault,’ Ms Grainger said.
‘The impact [of Madigan’s statement] has been huge. We thank her because it has given the strength to other people to reach out for help.’
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chief Noeline Blackwell said Ms Madigan ‘took a risk’ in speaking out, but it is ‘really positive’ she had the courage to do so. Ms Blackwell said: ‘It’s really interesting how much of a conversation she has restarted.
‘All politicians get their share of criticism and there is no doubt she took a bit of a risk in that way, but it is great to see her recognising this is something that happened… but she now wants to end the experience of everybody, particularly women.’
Ms Madigan called for a full debate when she spoke out during statements on action to tackle sexual, domestic and gender-based violence. ‘I am old enough to know there are very few women my age that have not been subjected to some form of sexual assault and I know this because I am one of them,’ she said.