*ISSUE 23 28PG
11/18/07
4:56 PM
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posing violence against women
Calling all CDPs nationwide to remember
MARY Black and two choirs will sing at the service organised by Ringsend Action Project, the local CDP, to remember the 136 women killed or murdered in the last 11 years. “I think the service will make a difference. While we are unable to physically stop domestic violence, we are raising awareness of the issue. It effects our community and every community,” said development worker, Aileen Foran. Aileen and the volunteers working with her expect strong support from many of the other CDPs in the Programme. Every project has
been invited to take part. “We are trying to involve as many families and communities as possible. The service will be filmed and it can then be used as a guide by whichever project wishes to organise the service next year. Any CDP could take it on and do a good job. “It is such a serious issue – that women are not safe, that they are being murdered and often so violently,” said Aileen. “Of the 136 women we will remember, 47% were killed by a current or ex-partner. Only two of them were killed by other women.”
Pope and President in solidarity with Ringsend commemoration A NATIONAL Commemoration Service is being held in Ringsend, Dublin, on Wednesday, November 28th, in honour of the 136 women who have died violent deaths in Ireland since 1996. The organisers - one paid worker and a team of volunteers – have received letters of solidarity from Pope Benedict XVI and President Mary McAleese for their initiative. A key part to the ceremony will be that played by relatives of some victims: Anne Delcassian, whose sister Irene was murdered in her home in Dundalk in 2005, will give the opening address. “This event will send a message of solidarity and encouragement to the families of the women who have died. We want the families to know that their loved ones have not been forgotten by the people of Ireland,” said Aileen Foran, development worker with Ringsend Action Project, as the local CDP is called. In preparation for the ceremony, the organisers wrote to Ireland’s President and to the Pope, among others, and letters of solidarity from both will be read out at the Service. The Service will be attended by religious leaders from various denominations in Ireland. The ceremony is designed to become an annual national event, quite likely moving around the country each year, with different CDPs hosting the event each time. This first ceremony takes place at St. Patrick’s Church, Ringsend, starting at 7.30pm and it was organised by the CDP in conjunction with a subgroup, the Ringsend & Irishtown Domestic Violence Working Group. St. Patrick’s Church most recently made headlines in October as the funeral of homicide victim Amanda Jenkins took place. In previous years, art work was erected on
changing ireland
the streets of Ringsend, including a full-sized door left ajar (to signal a route to escape). The group have campaigned outside the Dail, and inscribed stones have been laid into the street pavement as a permanent reminder to passersby that domestic violence is not something we can step around. For more information contact: Aileen Foran at 087-7706503 or e-mail raponforan@eircom.net Ringsend Action Project, 28 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4, Tel: 01-6607558.
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Around the country, dozens of CDPs will be engaged in their own local actions to mark the Annual 16 Days of Action Opposing Violence Against Women that starts from the 25th November (International Day Against Violence Against Women) and ends on the 10th December (International Human Rights Day). In most counties, at least one woman was killed in an incidence of domestic violence in the past decade.
Victims’ groups need more funds, says Charlie Murphy “WE are telling the Government that the groups looking after people who suffer domestic violence should be far better funded,” states Ringsend Action Project chairperson, Charlie Murphy. Charlie was one of the founding members of Ringsend Action Project in the early ‘90s when housing and unemployment were the big issues. “At the time, the local communities had no power to fight these or any other issues,” he recalled, explaining why he and others worked to start up the CDP in their area. Ringsend Action Project nowadays invests considerable energy (about a third of the time annually of one of its workers, Aileen Foran) into highlighting the issue of domestic violence. The Chairperson says it is essential work: “Domestic violence happens behind closed doors and we reckoned we needed to highlight it so victims will know there are people who will help and places they can go to.” Some of the women Aileen has worked with through local women’s groups have become very empowered, he said. “But a lot of women don’t come forward, we know that, and there must be a lot of men who don’t come forward too,” he said. new twist on old proverb: a euro gets another euro