RAPE IS RAPE NO MATTER
BY
There were 655 instances of rape recorded by gardai last year – which is slightly less than two cases every day. This means, in all likelihood, a woman was raped in Ireland last night.
Yet these shocking figures are only the “tip of the iceberg”, the Rape Crisis Network Ireland says.
It’s impossible to put an accurate number on it because the majority of victims are reluctant to report their assaults.
Last year’s figures showed a 28% surge in the numbers of rapes being reported in Ireland.
This was probably because many victims found the inner strength to come forward as a result of the #Metoo movement.
I’d imagine there could be a dramatic decrease in the reported number of sexual assault cases next year – and it will all be because of a barrister’s dubious defence strategy of mentioning a thong in court.
Read this sentence very closely: “You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front.”
Those were the actual words defence barrister Elizabeth O’connell stated in her closing remarks during a recent rape trial in the Central Criminal Court.
The 27-year-old accused was found not guilty, but that doesn’t excuse the fact it was a cynical tactic.
Why is it relevant what a woman wears? I can only surmise it was done to put X-rated images and, more importantly, doubts into the heads of the jury of eight men and four women.
If a woman wears a thong when going out for a night with the girls, it shouldn’t automatically be presumed she is looking for sex.
It’s only human nature to want to look and feel your best on a night on the town – and for many women that might include a thong to help make them feel sexy.
As a man, I find it impossible to fathom how anybody could have this stone-age mentality a woman must be gagging for it just because she dresses in a certain way.
But yet it appears acceptable to imply this in rape cases.
If the #Metoo movement was two steps forward, than this thong controversy is more than simply one step backwards – it was potentially dozens.
Sadly, it’s easy to imagine any Irish woman raped since this story broke would be even more hesitant to come forward now.
These distraught victims could justifiably be thinking something along the lines of, “Perhaps they will claim I was ‘asking for it’ because I’ve a nice tan and Brazilian wax”.
The majority of criticism has been primarily focused on the barrister’s outrageous comment – but shouldn’t we also be asking why a judge did not object to a thong being raised in court?
It makes it even Elizabeth O’connell
harder to argue against the idea we have a judicial system that somehow tolerates a culture of victim blaming.
I personally know Samantha Geimer, who was raped by the film director Roman Polanski when she was just 13.
Her case in 1977 was dubbed the “trial of the century” by the media. During an interview I did with her earlier this year, Samantha said she found the court case harder to endure than the actual terrifying ordeal of rape itself.
No doubt this is something victims here will fear much more now too – knowing a defence barrister will have no compunction in bringing up their G-string in a Samantha Geimer and, right, Roman Polanski nudge and a wink effort to discredit them. I spoke with Samantha last night.
After I had brought her up to speed on the thong controversy, Samantha initially responded with: “Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus. That is the most ludicrous thing I heard in a long time.” amantha told me: “I am astounded that in 2018 women are still being accused of soliciting rape with the clothes they wear.
“It shows we have not come as far as we would like to believe and demonstrates why women must stand together in solidarity for the respect and justice we deserve.”
Thankfully, Irish women did stand in solidarity last week by taking to the streets with spontaneous mass protests and with a new social media movement with #Thisisnotconsent.
I hope this becomes a force to rival #Metoo.
I wouldn’t necessarily agree with everything Ruth Coppinger TD has to say.
But, as someone who grew up in her Dublin West constituency, I greatly admired her actions in the
SDail the other day. Ruth stood up and pulled a lacy undergarment out of her sleeve, whilst making a passionate speech about the controversy.
She said: “It might seem embarrassing to show a pair of thongs here in this incongruous setting of the Dail. “But the reason I’m doing it, how do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in a court?
“When is this Dail going to take serious action on the issue of sexual violence?” Hear, hear. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan needs to come up with answers – and soon.
If he’s reading this, I’d recommend he looks at how other EU countries, such as Germany and Sweden, have made it law you must always seek consent before sex.
Their laws clearly states all sex without consent is rape – which makes sense because it shouldn’t matter what you’re wearing when it comes to rape.
news@irishmirror.ie
I’m astounded women are still being accused of soliciting rape with clothes they wear SAMANTHA GEIMER ON HOW THE CASE UNFOLDED