RAPE CRISIS CENTRE FURY AT GOVERNMENT

RAPE CRISIS & SEXUAL ABUSE CENTRE
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
28.01.08

The RCC today criticised the Department of Health & Social Services’ decision to fund the anti-abortion organisation LIFE.

Eileen Calder, Co-Director of the charity said: “This organisation describes itself as “inter-denominational”, it is clearly a religious group with a fundamentalist anti-choice ideology.

The DHSS should not be funding religious organisations to extend their propaganda, especially one who would force survivors of rape to give birth to the children of their abusers.

LIFE say they see 700 women a year – the RCC receives 3000 calls a year and yet the DHSS withdrew our funding.


If women want religious indoctrination dressed up as counselling – there is an over-abundance of churches available.

It is incredible that LIFE have the audacity to use the word “counselling” in relation to its work – this implies that their clients have choices – that is not the case.

LIFE have a history of trying to prevent women from making informed choices about unwanted pregnancy and have even criticised the use of the Morning After Pill and of IUD’s.

The RCC would defend the right of LIFE to put forward their moral beliefs to the public but the DHSS should be paying for the propaganda.

It is time women in Northern Ireland had equal access to health care as the rest of the female citizens of the United Kingdom and that the 1967 abortion act was extended to Northern Ireland.

EDITOR’S NOTES

• This statement is a response to a story in today’s Irish News, page 4, headline – Pro-life family planning body to get £78,000 grant.
• The Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre have campaigned for over 20 years for PRO-CHOICE, the ability for women in Northern Ireland to make their own decisions about abortion.
• The Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre had their government funding withdrawn for over two years and now survives on fundraising and the generosity of the public.

One rape daily on an Ulster woman & sex assaults double, shock figures reveal

BELFAST TELEGRAPH
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

By Linda McKee

At least one woman is raped every day in Northern Ireland, disturbing new figures have revealed.

The number of rapes or attempted rapes has doubled in the Province over the last five years, Security Minister Paul Goggins said in a written response to a Parliamentary question by North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds.

The minister outlined the number of rapes, prosecutions and convictions for rape incidents since 2001, revealing the highest number of attacks recorded came in 2006/07 at 457.

The shocking figures showed that the number of recorded rapes has risen by almost 60% in five years, while the number of convictions has remained steady at around 3%.

Mr Dodds said: "The answer to this question is quite simply disturbing. The figure indicates that in 2006/07 there were 457 incidents across Northern Ireland involving rape or an attempted rape. "This is over one per day and we must begin to question here society is going. In 2001/02 there were 292 reported incidents yet today the number of incidents has risen by almost 60%.

"There are a number of factors which must be addressed, chiefly the confidence which victims can have in the justice system. Rape is a most serious crime and should be treated as such by the law.

"For far too long, the criminal justice system has been seen to be more concerned with the rights of the perpetrator than either he victim or the ordinary law abiding citizen.

"The horrific murder of Attracta Harron by an individual who was on parole after having raped another woman is still very fresh in the minds of the people of Northern Ireland and is a stark reminder to us all as to exactly how skewed the criminal justice system can be."

Mr Dodds said the news that the legal system is being restructured for dealing with sex-related crime so that public confidence can be improved suggests the Government has recognised the current system is failing victims.

Julieanne Boyle (35), whose father got seven months in jail after he raped her when she was 11, has called for tougher entencing.

Julieanne, who helps victims at the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre, said: "I have been a victim of rape all my life and I will have to live with it forever.

"We want a system that gives perpetrators tougher sentences. We want them to get rid of 50% remission that automatically halves sentences."

A PSNI spokeswoman said: "A review has taken place into how police investigate rape. Police accept there is a shortfall and a need for improvement in this difficult and sensitive area."

50% rise in rapes over six years

BBC.CO.UK / Northern Ireland

There has been a 50% increase in rapes in Northern Ireland over the past six years, according to government figures.

There were more than 450 reported or attempted rapes last year.

The highest figure was in Foyle where 40 assaults were reported last year, whilst 39 incidents were reported in south Belfast.

DUP assembly member for south Belfast Jimmy Spratt called for tougher legislation to support victims of rape as well as a "robust action" by police.

He said the "clear-up rate is far too low in Northern Ireland".

"That needs to dramatically increase, there are far too few cases coming to conviction and certainly that needs to change.

"It needs to be shown that the victim is being fully supported."

The figures were released by Justice Minister Paul Goggins in response to a parliamentary question from DUP MP Nigel Dodds.

Mr Dodds said the figures were "quite disturbing".

"We need to restore confidence in law and order. As a society we need to get back to a point where the community has faith in our justice system," he said.

Mr Goggins said the government was committed to improving the rates of successful prosecution in rape cases.

"Specialist police units, staffed by highly skilled and trained personnel, are dedicated to enhancing the service to victims of rape and sexual assault," he said.

"Both PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service are seeking to develop models of best investigative practice so that more offences can achieve the threshold for prosecution."

Reported rapes in North up 50% in past six years

BELFAST TELEGRAPH
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The number of rapes being reported in the North has increased by 50% in the past six years, according to official figures.

Figures from the British Government show that more than 450 rapes or attempted rapes were reported last year.

Only 3% of cases resulted in convictions.

DUP MP Nigel Dodds says the figures are disturbing and people have a lack of confidence in the police and courts to protect them.

Justice Minister Paul Goggins, meanwhile, says the Public Prosecution Service is trying to develop new ways of investigating claims so more offences can be prosecuted.

Rape Statistics Show Dramatic Rise

4NI.co.uk

Both south Belfast and the North West have been shown as the areas where women are most at risk of rape.

Government figures just released have revealed a 50% increase overall in rape cases in Northern Ireland over the past six years.

There were more than 450 reported or attempted rapes in 2007 alone.

But, the highest number of rapes was in the Foyle area where 40 assaults were reported last year, with south Belfast a close second with just one less – at 39 reported incidents.

The figures were revealed by Justice Minister Paul Goggins in response to a parliamentary question from DUP MP Nigel Dodds who described the figures as disturbing.

He said that women must be reassured that they will be supported in any allegation of rape and to see that the crime is severely dealt with in the courts.

Mr Dodds said the figures were "quite disturbing".

"We need to restore confidence in law and order. As a society we need to get back to a point where the community has faith in our justice system," he said.

NIO Minister. Mr Goggins said the government was committed to improving the rates of successful prosecution in rape cases.

"Specialist police units, staffed by highly skilled and trained personnel, are dedicated to enhancing the service to victims of rape and sexual assault," he said.

"Both PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service are seeking to develop models of best investigative practice so that more offences can achieve the threshold for prosecution."

(BMcC)

Rise in rape incidents to one per day

Belfast Newsletter | 15.01.08

By Staff reporter

MORE than one woman is raped every day in Northern Ireland and the number of men reporting the crime has increased sevenfold since the law changed to identify men as victims of rape.

Statistics revealed by Security Minister Paul Goggins showed that 457 people were victims of rape last year, with 410 of them being women.

The figures for last year show a rise of 66 incidents of rapes from the previous year and in the past 10 years the figure has averaged at 274 rapes every year.

When first deemed victims in 2003, following the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, men who reported being raped numbered just six.

Last year’s figures showed that 47 men said they were raped.

Prompted by a parliamentary question by Economy Minister Nigel Dodds, Mr Goggins’ response broke down the figures for rape victims over the last 10 years, showing categories for age and sex.

Responding to the figures, Mr Dodds said he had “no doubt there is a greater reporting of crime than ever before”.

“This is a very serious crime and it continues to be a major issue for society that causes enormous trauma for its victims,” he said.

“We want to send a message to the perpetrators that the courts and the police are doing everything in their power to catch these people and put them away for a very long time.”

Spokeswoman for the Rape Crisis Centre in Northern Ireland Eileen Calder said her organisation’s statistics showed a “dramatic rise” in the number of people seeking help from the support service.

“Whether or not that can be interpreted as being proof of more sexual violence or that more people are prepared to report we can’t be sure but more people are prepared to come forward for counselling.

“It’s not scientific but in my experience I have seen quite a lot of girls, aged 14 to 17, who are less likely to blame themselves for being raped which is a good thing,” she said.

ARTISTS THROW LIFELINE TO RAPE CRISIS CENTRE

UTV from www.u.tv A sexual abuse charity could be saved from closure by some of Northern Ireland's top artists, it has emerged.

Paintings worth thousands of pounds are to be auctioned as part of a fundraising event for a beleaguered rape victims charity.

The money throws a lifeline to Belfast's Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre which has been facing closure since government funding was stopped last year.

More than 40 of Northern Ireland's most popular artists, including Rita Duffy, Brian Ballard and Hector McDonnell, have donated paintings for the auction.

A total of 15 works of art will go under the hammer at Ross' Auction House, Belfast, on Wednesday while the remaining paintings will be included in a show in April.

The charity has been struggling for almost 18 months since its government funding was controversially withdrawn.

A grant of £66,000 a year was stopped in July last year because the government claimed the centre was failing to keep proper financial accounts.

The centre - which is the only free crisis counselling service in Northern Ireland for victims of rape, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse - survives on public donations and small fundraising events.

It employs just two people and has the support of three volunteers.

Paula Wynburne, who organised a similar auction 15 years ago, said: "When I heard they were in dire financial straits I volunteered to come back and do some fundraising for them. And since it was so long since the last one I thought I`d go back and ask the artists to donate again."

TOP ARTISTS PUT WORK TO AUCTION FOR RAPE CRISIS CENTRE

SOME of Northern Ireland's top artists have donated thousands of pounds worth of paintings to the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre.

The paintings are part of an auction celebrating Irish contemporary art, including works from Hector McDonnell, Rita Duffy and Brian Ballard, taking place at Ross's Auction House next Wednesday (December 5).

Over 40 artists have donated pieces with 15 being auctioned next week, the remaining donations will be part of a show in April next year.
The auction is a life line for the struggling charity.

Almost two years ago the Rape Crisis Centre - which is the only free, crisis counselling service in Northern Ireland for victims and survivors of rape, child sexual abuse and sexual violence – had it’s government funding withdrawn amid controversy.

Since this time the Centre, with only staff of just two and a further three volunteers have been surviving on donations from the general public and small fund-raising events organised by supporters.

Paula Wynburne, voluntary fundraiser for the Rape Crisis Centre, organised an auction 15 years ago to support the Centre and when she heard about their troubles she decided to organise another fundraiser.

Paula & Rita discuss her series of paintings
one of which she has donated to the auction


She said: "When I heard they were in dire financial straits I volunteered to come back and do some fundraising for them.

"And since it was so long since the last one I thought I'd go back and ask the artists to donate again.

"This auction not only enables people to support the Rape Crisis Centre, they get a work of art, which over time will actually increase in value. It benefits the buyer as well, it's something they get to enjoy and reap the benefits of.

"A list of the Rape Crisis Centre paintings will be available at Ross's so people can go down and view them on Tuesday.
"We are also going to be doing an exhibition at the beginning of next year".

One of Northern Ireland's most celebrated artists, Rita Duffy is donating a painting from a series on the female psyche.

"I believe in the Rape Crisis Centre as a valuable part of every civilised community, if we were a more civilised community there would be no need for a Rape Crisis Centre because violence against women wouldn't be happening", she said.

"But unfortunately it's still in 2007 a part of everyday life in Northern Ireland. And unfortunately it's still a area we need to fund-raise for to give assistance to women who are in need.

"I have also a contract with Amnesty International because I believe in Full Stop - violence against the human is wrong.

"We do these things and we hope tomorrow will be a better day. But then again you look at the pace of development in Northern Ireland and if you were a more despairing person, maybe you would despair, we're very slow at actually fulfilling our needs here in terms of real issues.

"In light of what is going on in our communities, it is absolutely vital that women and families get the support that they need".

Don't go out alone' warning to women

BELFAST TELEGRAPH
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Women in the lower Shankill area have been warned not to walk alone at night following the second serious sexual assault in the area in a fortnight.

Police are investigating reports that a 17-year-old girl was raped in the Malvern Street area as she was walking home on Monday night.

She was attacked by an unknown male shortly before 10.30pm near a GPs' surgery.

Councillor Elaine McMillen said she feared the attack and another serious sexual assault on a woman in her 20s at nearby Denmark Street early on November 17 could be linked.

"That is two within a couple of weeks of each other," the DUP councillor said.

"I would be worried that there is a link between the two. People should be vigilant, young ladies especially. I would appeal to anybody who knows who this is to ring the police so they can be brought to justice."

But police said they are not investigating a link.

A PSNI spokesperson said: "If anything comes up in the course of this investigation, it will be investigated further."

PUP councillor Hugh Smith said he would be contacting police to make sure there are more patrols in the area.

Rape Crisis Centre director Eileen Calder said: "It's an absolute disgrace that women are not safe on the streets of Belfast. Even at that time of the night, women should have the right to be able to walk around without the fear of attack."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Antrim Road at 0845 6008000.

RAPE CRISIS CENTRE MUST BE FUNDED BY ASSEMBLY SAY GREEN PARTY

THE Green Party has called on the Assembly to find funding to support the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre in Belfast.

Two years ago the Centre had it’s funding cut, but despite this set back has continued to operate, surviving on donations from the general public and small fundraising events organised by supporters.

Green Party Co-Chair Kelly Andrews said: “Amnesty International has already highlighted th fact that there are no funded support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland.e What does that say about our community? It says if you get raped tough, we do not view it as a problem? This attitude is simply wrong.”

The Centre, which needs £100,000 per annum to operate, claims to save the National Health Service thousands of pounds yearly by helping survivors of rape who have to overcome a wide range of issue including the use of anti-depressants and the abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Mrs. Andrews said: “Northern Ireland cannot call itself a progressive or considerate place to live until such time as it has adequate support for rape survivors. If this situation is allowed to continue our society will suffer in the long term because we chose to ignore people in desperate need of help.”

FUNDING FOR RAPE CRISIS MUST BE FOUND SAYS SINN FEIN MLA

Following the report from Amnesty International highlighting the lack of services and provision of trained counsellors to help women and children who are raped or abused this week Sinn Fein MLA Jennifer Mc Cann has called on the executive to find funding for the Rape Crisis Centre.

“This organisation provides a service that is vital to women and children who are survivors of rape and sexual crimes yet they have been operating on a shoestring budget for years.”

There is already a dearth of services and provision to women and children in the North of Ireland resulting in many of them having to travel long distances to access counselling and other services and yet here we have an organisation that has 25 years of experience dealing directly with those in need who are being forced to close due to lack of funding.

I would appeal to the Executive to ensure this does not happen and to find the funding necessary to ensure this Centre remains open.

The Rape Crisis is a lifeline to many women and children who would have no where else to go to access the services and support they need.

Government need to deal with the issue of Rape and Sexual Abuse as a priority and not allow services like the Rape Crisis Centre provide to be denied to the people that need them most.”

TIME FOR EXECUTIVE TO GIVE RAPE CRISIS CENTRE THE CASH THEY NEED

ALLIANCE Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has said that the budget must provide more cash for the Department of Health to ensure it can fund vital services for rape victims.

His comments come following revelations from an Amnesty International report by the End Violence Against Women Coalition stating that no specialised services for rape victims receive public funding in Northern Ireland.

The Strangford MLA said: “It is appalling that there are no funded specialised support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland .

“The budget simply must provide more cash for the Department of Health so that it can address this area of real and urgent need.

“The Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre do excellent work. The support that they provide for rape victims is extremely important and they need action from the Executive now.

“The Executive must step up to the mark and provide the cash needed to keep this vital service open.”

RAPE CRISIS CENTRE CALLS ON POLITICIANS TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE VITAL SERVICES ARE TAKEN AWAY.

FOLLOWING the Amnesty International report released this week by the End Violence Against Women Coalition which stated that there were no funded specialised support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre is calling on local politicians to finally put to action their years of verbal support.

Almost two years ago the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre - which is the only free, crisis counselling service in Northern Ireland for victims and survivors of rape, child sexual abuse and sexual violence – had it’s government funding withdrawn amid controversy.

Since this time the Centre, with only staff of just two and a further three volunteers have been surviving on donations from the general public and small fundraising events organised by supporters.

Now with just weeks to go before Christmas staff have gone unpaid for almost six months and the Centre is once again facing closure.

Co-Director of the Centre Eileen Calder said: “On an average day we would receive many as six new calls from survivors, sometimes people just wanting to talk on the phone about fears they have or things that have happened to them.

“We are the only place that they feel safe to talk to, we are a kind of beacon of hope their lives.
“It’s just very disheartening that after all of these years and after all of the work that we have done that we are in a position where our phones are being cut off and we can’t pay our rent.
“Our local politicians do care about this centre and the work that we do and will try to undo the wrongs that that have been done in the past but they need to do that now or this Centre’s doors are going to close by Christmas.”

Centre Manager and Co-Director Eileen Kelly added that it was time the government realised the benefits of having a service like the Rape Crisis Centre available to survivors.

She added: “Our phones were cut off recently because we couldn’t pay our August 2nd bill because we don’t have any resources at the moment at all.

“We save the National Health Service thousands upon thousands each year keeping women out of psychiatric units, helping them to give up their anti-depressants, helping them to move on from self-medicating through alcohol or drugs – both illegal and legal.

“I feel entirely emotionally drained, I feel angry, I feel exasperated, I feel a slight sense of disbelief and it’s not just about the money it’s the fact that there’s so many people being let down.”

And survivors Julie Anne Boyle and Dorothea Brown who appear in a new DVD – The Centre’s Own Crisis – kindly donated by local production company Tern TV, fear the worst if the vital services of the Centre are taken away, especially just before Christmas.

Julie-Anne, who was raped and abused by her father, said: “When I started coming to this centre I began to get back my self-worth and my self-esteem.

“This is the only place that survivors come through and feel that they are worth something, that they are themselves, take that away and I don’t know what people like me would do.

“There were times I didn’t want to go to the Centre, times I thought I couldn’t do it – but I climbed those steps every week without fail because I knew at the end of it that I was going to get my life – the better part of my life – back, I’m surviving.”

Dorothea, who was gang raped at the age of 14 and who experienced further sexual violence throughout her life added that victims and survivors felt that they were being ignored by the government, politicians and the system.

Speaking on the DVD, available on request by emailing info@rapecrisisni.com, she added: “Once again you feel kicked in the teeth, the system has let you down – you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall and nobody is listening.

“It’s like they’re saying ‘it’s only you, it doesn’t matter’. Well it is me and something has to be done not just for me, the ones before me and the ones after me.

“Something has to be done.”
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If you would like to donate your time, resources or money to the Rape Crisis Centre log into www.rapecrisisni.com, email info@rapecrisisni.com or call 028 9032 9001.

If you would like a copy of the DVD please send a stamped, addressed envelope to Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre, 29 Donegall Street, Belfast BT12FG or email info@rapecrisisni.com.

PLEASE NOTE: The Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre are holding a Charity Sale and Craft Fair every Thursday night (5-9.30pm), Saturday and Sunday (10-5pm) at their offices in Donegall Street. Admission is free and all donations are welcome.

RAPE VICTIMS UNABLE TO ACCESS HELP

THE GUARDIAN
www.guardian.co.uk

Press Association
Wednesday November 28, 2007 1:33 AM

Victims of rape and domestic violence have no crisis centres or refuges to go to in some parts of Britain.
There is a 'postcode lottery' in provision, with some areas reasonably well served, and others having no services at all, says the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and the coalition End Violence Against Women (EVAW).
The Commission's chairman, Trevor Phillips, said the organisation may take legal action in a year's time under gender equality legislation to ensure women have access to services.
The Commission and EVAW's report, Map of Gaps, shows how provision varies across the country.
Five areas are particularly underserved, the organisations said - the east of England, London, Northern Ireland, the north west and the south east.
While very few areas could claim to have sufficient provision to meet the needs of women who had recently suffered violence, the nine with the most extensive services were: Birmingham, Bradford, Glasgow, Hammersmith & Fulham, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.
In Scotland the situation was more positive, the organisations said.
A spokeswoman said of the situation there: "There is a commitment to funding for specialised services. This means that services are distributed more equally and there has been an expansion in rape crisis centre provision."
Mr Phillips said there was "an undeclared war against women in this country".
Each year, some three million would experience violence in one form or another. In a fair Britain, he said, every woman should have someone to call in a crisis, access to a place of safety, genuine backing in her search for justice, and should be treated fairly and sympathetically by the criminal justice system.

NI rape victims 'are losing out'

BBC NI
www.bbc.co.uk

Report claims provision of services is the least comprehensive in the UK

There are no funded specialised support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland, an Amnesty International report has said.
The group has also criticised the absence of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in NI.
It is the only region of the UK where they do not operate.
As part of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, Amnesty has urged the executive "to provide proper services for women who experience violence".

A new report - Map of Gaps - claims provision of services for women who have experienced violence is the least comprehensive in the UK.
The study, published on Wednesday, said there were no support services for women seeking to escape prostitution, trafficking and sexual exploitation in Northern Ireland.

The report breaks the silence on violence Eileen Murphy Women's Aid

Patricia Campbell of Amnesty International said the situation contrasted most strongly with that in Scotland, which had recently seen an increase in the provision of services for rape survivors.
"The reason is simple. The Scottish Government is developing a strategic approach to addressing violence against women and has allocated ring-fenced funding for services," she said.
"Women in Northern Ireland deserve nothing less. We owe it to every woman to allow her to feel safe, secure and respected."
Eileen Murphy of Women's Aid in the Newry, Mourne and South Armagh areas said the report broke the "silence on violence".
"When women who approach us for help reveal that the abuse which they have suffered has included rape, the total lack of counselling and support services available for them anywhere in Northern Ireland means that we are forced to refer them to Dundalk for help. This is totally unacceptable," she said.

Abused women here 'offered less support'

BELFAST TELEGRAPH

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Wednesday, November 28, 2007

By Deborah McAleese

Violently abused women in Ulster have less access to support services than anywhere else in the UK, a new report has claimed.
In Northern Ireland there is no funded, specialised support services for rape victims, no access to specialist domestic violence courts and no support services for women seeking to escape prostitution, trafficking and sexual exploitation, the shock report has revealed.
The findings have now sparked urgent calls for the Government to provide proper services for women who have experienced violence.
The report, published by the End Violence Against Women Coalition - which is made up of several organisations including Amnesty International and Women's Aid - examines the provision of services for women who have experienced violence across the UK.
Called the Map of Gaps, the report has revealed, through a series of facts, figures and maps, that women in the province who have experienced violence, have the least provision of comprehensive services.
It highlights the fact that there are no funded specialised support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland.
The report also shows how Northern Ireland is one part of the UK where women have no access to specialist domestic violence courts and that there is almost a total absence of programmes which seek to address the behaviour of men who are violent to women in the region.
In addition, it reveals that Northern Ireland is the only region in the UK where there are no support services for women seeking to escape prostitution, trafficking and sexual exploitation.
"The situation here contrasts most strongly with that in Scotland which has recently seen an increase in the provision of services for rape survivors," said Patricia Campbell of Amnesty International Northern Ireland.
She added: "The reason is simple.
"The Scottish Government is developing a strategic approach to addressing violence against women and has allocated ring-fenced funding for services.
"Women in Northern Ireland deserve nothing less. We owe it to every woman to allow her to feel safe, secure and respected. That's why we are asking our Government here to provide more support services. This deserves serious attention and funding and we will be seeking to meet with politicians here to make sure that we press the case for what is a lifeline for far too many women."
The report also highlights how one woman in every 10 across the UK experiences violence each year.
Eileen Murphy, director of Women's Aid, Newry, Mourne and South Armagh, said she welcomes the fact that the report breaks the 'silence on violence', and said that it "exposes a situation of which we have long been aware" .
"When women who approach us for help reveal that the abuse which they have suffered has included rape, the total lack of counselling and support services available for them anywhere in Northern Ireland means that we are forced to refer them to Dundalk for help. This is totally unacceptable," she added.
Marie Brown, director of Foyle Women's Aid, said: "It is vital that women across Northern Ireland have access to these services. Currently women in the North West have to travel to Belfast for basic forensic services.
"This can involve a nine-hour period of travelling and waiting to be seen. This discriminates against women who don't live in Belfast."

Gays and rape centre at odds over age of consent

Making sex legal at 16 in line with rest of Britain 'would hurt the vulnerable'

Henry McDonald, Ireland editor
Sunday November 25, 2007
The Observer

Gay rights campaigners have clashed with Belfast's Rape Crisis Centre over plans to lower the age of sexual consent to 16. The British government has published proposals to bring Northern Ireland's legal process, under which it is illegal for 16-year-olds to have sex, into line with the rest of the UK.
The centre has joined a loose alliance with the Catholic church, evangelical Protestant churches and Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party to oppose the proposed change from 17 to 16. Ranged against them are organisations representing the gay community.
Eileen Calder, director of the centre, defended its decision to resist changes to the sexual offences law. 'On many issues we have been on the opposite side of the DUP and the Catholic church, in areas like abortion, where the centre is pro-choice. But on other issues, such as pornography, we have worked with the churches in campaigning against sexploitation,' she said.
'Our concern is to protect vulnerable young men and women from older sexual predators. The 17 age limit has never been used to prosecute, say, a man of 16 who gets his 15-year-old girlfriend pregnant. What we are concerned about is men in their 20s, 30s, 40s and older preying on young people. And that applies to the gay community as well as the heterosexual community.'
Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland (Glyni) said it was 'illogical' to argue that there was a huge gap between someone at 17 and another at 16. Along with the Rainbow Project, a charity supporting gays, Glyni has welcomed the introduction of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2007, reducing the age of consent to 16.
Liam Larmour, Glyni's spokesman, said: 'We appreciate the concerns around sexual assaults, but would remind these agencies that any one individual is a potential victim to an assault of this kind, and age may not be a factor in this unfortunate circumstance.'
He said both organisations were concerned that young people were being criminalised in the eyes of the law. 'To many young people, having sex at 16 is no different than having sex at 17, and is their choice of what to do with their own bodies. After all, you can get married at 16 with parental consent, you can smoke, choose your GP and buy your own fireworks, and for the moment can leave school too,' he said.
'You also start paying national insurance at this age, though you can't vote to determine its usage until you are 18. If we can deem 16-year-olds mature enough to make these decisions, and take part of their wages from them, why can't society trust them to make decisions about who they choose to have sex with, without being criminalised for it? Is it fair that we can determine a 16-year-old in England, Scotland or Wales to be more sensible, mature and sexually responsible than a 17-year-old in Northern Ireland?'
But Whitehall faces an uphill struggle to create parity in the age of consent law across the UK. The DUP has vowed to resist any changes, though Northern Ireland Office Minister Paul Goggins does have reserve powers to impose reforms.
Goggins will also face fierce resistance from the Catholic church and most Protestant churches. At the next monthly conference of the Irish Catholic bishops, a statement will be issued denouncing the lowering of the age of consent and pledging a broad-based campaign against the change.
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission declined to comment on the proposed law change.

Rape crisis service 'underfunded'

IRISH TIMES

25.11.07

www.ireland.com

Rape victims in the border counties face not being able to access vital specialist services because of underfunding, it was claimed today.
The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland (RCNI) said centres in other areas of the country receive four times more than the north east.
Volunteers plan to mark the 10th anniversary of the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre (RC&SAC) this week by highlighting what they say is a poor level of funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
"While congratulating the HSE in funding Rape Crisis North East to date, we also have to question the severely inadequate allocation, which is greatly at odds with investment in sexual violence service in the rest of the country," said Fiona Neary RCNI executive director.
"Similar regions in the country receive four times the level of funding as the North East. As a result victims in the North East face the possibility of not being able to access the specialised response service offered by the centre. This situation cannot continue."
Based in Dundalk, the RC&SAC delivers vital services in Louth, Cavan, Monaghan and north Meath with a telephone helpline and support service, face-to-face counselling, advocacy, and court accompaniment services for women and men over 18 years of age.

NI age of consent to be lowered - Draft legislation has been laid before the Commons

BBC
www.bbc.co.uk

The age of sexual consent in Northern Ireland is to be reduced to 16 to bring it in line with the rest of the UK.
The draft legislation was laid before the House of Commons on Tuesday.
It proposes a range of new laws aimed at protecting children; any sexual act with a child under 13 will automatically be treated as rape.
Currently, the maximum penalty for rape is life but that is being extended to include all serious sex offences. Kerb crawling will also become a crime.
That will be punishable by a fine.
The draft Sexual Offences NI Order 2007 will provide tough new legislation to strengthen protection against sexual crime.
The age of consent for sex in Northern Ireland has been 17 for more than 50 years - but from next April it will be reduced to 16.
Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins said there was no compelling reason for the age to be different in Northern Ireland than elsewhere.
The move could meet opposition from some politicians, but other aspects of this new legislation are likely to be welcomed.
There will be a new offence of running a brothel, with a maximum sentence of seven years.
Mr Goggins said the legislation - due to be enacted by the Spring of next year after a 60-day consultation period - would modernise offences, remove antiquated laws and had at its core protection of the public.
The starting point had been the Sexual Offences Act introduced in England and Wales in 2003 and an endeavour to have consistency throughout the nation.
"The proposed legislation will strengthen protection for children and vulnerable groups against abuse and exploitation, and enable offenders, particularly abusive offenders, to be appropriately punished.
"Importantly the proposals will broaden the definition of rape, making evidential changes to, and give a statutory definition of, consent, to help juries reach decisions in the most difficult cases," he said.

Urgent call for rethink on Saudi Arabia rape law

NEWSLETTER - BELFAST
www.newsletter.co.uk

RAPE Crisis Centre director Eileen Calder has called on MPs in Northern Ireland to contact the Foreign Office urging an immediate rethink on a recent court ruling in Saudi Arabia to inflict 200 lashes on a rape victim.

Mrs Calder said there had to be an emergency meeting called with the Saudi Ambassador over the ruling to publicly flog and imprison the rape victim for six months.
According to CNN, a court in Saudi Arabia increased the punishment for a gang-rape victim after her lawyer won an appeal of the sentence for the rapists.
According to reports, the 19-year-old victim was initially sentenced last year to 90 lashes for meeting with an unrelated male, a former friend from whom she was retrieving photographs.
Meanwhile, the seven rapists, who abducted the pair were said to have received sentences ranging from 10 months to five years in prison.
But the victim's attorney, Abdulrahman al-Lahim, contested the rapists' sentence, increasing it from two to nine years for the defendants.
However, this meant that the victim's sentence was also increased to six months in prison and 200 lashes.
CNN reported that women are subject to numerous restrictions in Saudi Arabia, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and the need for a man's permission to travel or have surgery.
Women are also not allowed to testify in court unless it is about a private matter that was not observed by a man, and they are not allowed to vote.
Last night Ms Calder said she believed that members of parliament will be as outraged by this "barbaric example of how Sharia law treats women, as we and our clients are".
She said: "It is imperative that MPs strive to ensure that the British Government do not follow the cowardly example of the United States whose refusal to condemn the torture of rape victims is appalling.
"It appears that oil rich Arab countries can torture, degrade, imprison and even kill innocent rape victims with impunity.
"Pressure needs to be brought to bear on the Saudis immediately by the international community and MPs in Northern Ireland have a responsibility to reflect the outraged views of their constituents."

Uploaded to Newsletter.co.uk: 21 November 2007 10:35 AM