Europa Hotel Belfast 12 th November 2013 Feedback

Europa Hotel, Belfast 12 th November 2013 Feedback from Belfast Workshop Women: Dealing with the Past. By Lynn Carvill

Overview Almost 200 women attended workshop in the Europa Hotel, Belfast Reflections on Women Dealing with the Past’ Dawn Purvis (Healing through Remembering) and Claire Hackett (Falls Community Council) Facilitated table discussion • Views on Dealing with the Past • Participants asked to prioritise issues • Brief plenary feedback session

Question 1 Issues – For you, in your community, please share any relevant issues and how they affect you and your family? Existence of ‘organisations’ • High levels of control in communities • High levels of criminality (including drugs) • Threat and intimidation Anti-Social Behaviour • Vacuum exists were paramilitary organisations stepped down and PSNI have not properly filled the space

Question 1 cont Flags, Emblems and Culture • Perceived erosion of unionist cultural identity while nationalist cultural identity becoming more mainstreamed • Women from local communities organising street protests / others orchestrated by the same people • Increased tension / serious disruption to everyday life Contested spaces • • Peace Walls ‘Neutral’ areas for some are ‘No Go’ areas for others Invisible interfaces in rural areas Unsolved legacy issues have exacerbated segregation and destabilised previously stable communities

Question 2 Positives – For you, in your community, please share your views on the positives post conflict, and how they affect you and your family? Development of women’s groups and sector • Beneficial impact of European Peace & IFI funds to women’ groups • Better opportunities for cross-community / cross-border work • Women need to be more supportive of women Younger generation • Younger generation of people growing up in relatively peaceful times • Less violence • More integration (including education)

Question 3 • Do you feel it is better or worse for women now, than 15 years ago? What would you like to see changed? Domestic and Sexual Violence • Prevalent during the conflict but much of it coming to light now. • Vulnerability of women living in N/R areas and PUL areas • Criminality in some communities – drugs and prostitution. Sexual exploitation of girls and young women Mental Health • We are a highly traumatised society emerging from conflict • Prevalence of drug and alcohol misuse and abuse • Huge issues around mental ill-health and suicide

Question 3 cont. Rising tensions and fear • Reluctance to deal with legacy issues leading to groups halting their cross community work • Reassertion of male control in communities Rise in Criminality & Anti-Social Behaviour