Amnesty International has performed a necessary and revealing public function by preparing the report on violence against women in Ireland which is published today.
Based on a survey of current research, it reveals that there is a systematic pattern of domestic violence, rape, physical assault and human trafficking in this State which is both culpably under-reported and scandalously unpunished.
The report draws together a useful set of recommendations on how the problem should be tackled, with an emphasis on reinforcing existing women's organisations, enforcing legislation and developing programmes to raise awareness of the issues involved.
As this report points out, many myths and misconceptions still shroud violence against women. Among them is the idea that domestic violence only happens to those on lower incomes, that women provoke sexual assaults on them and that the low prosecution rates and high withdrawal of charges indicate they are often fallacious. Reporting violence can be a traumatic step when those responsible are close family members and allegations are treated with suspicion and disbelief.
Garda statistics indicate that 90 per cent of callouts they receive are for female victims and that the perpetrator is by the same proportion male and generally an intimate partner. A WHO report from 2002 reckons that only 20 per cent of physically abused women even contact the police. Of the 45,000 calls last year to rape crisis centres 89 per cent were from females and 97 per cent of the perpetrators were male.
It is estimated that one in three women will experience some form of gender-based violence (directed against them because they are women) during the course of their lifetime. Ireland is not alone in this international pattern, against which Amnesty has launched a worldwide campaign. While men too can be victims of violence by women, the overwhelming comparative evidence shows this is far less prevalent - reflecting existing distributions of power between the sexes.
In the Irish case this report puts as much emphasis on raising public and women's awareness as on making demands on government and public authorities. There is a great deal to be done in both spheres. Widespread publicity and public debate is needed to encourage women victims to report such crimes. The Government needs to develop a national strategy to tackle the subject, fund more refuges and organise more research on the prevalence of violence. New legislation is needed to protect especially vulnerable groups such as Traveller women and those seeking asylum.