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Ireland for victims and survivors of rape, child sexual abuse and sexual violence – had it’s government funding withdrawn amid controversy.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.