The Female Victim Has Any Progress Been Made

The Female Victim: Has Any Progress Been Made in the Past 80 Years? Stephen Strauss-Walsh Ph. D candidate, UL

Introduction v Received v Studied v My LLB & Ph. D scholarship from UL. for a year at the University of Bologna. thesis explores the recent re-emergence of victims within the Irish Criminal Justice System.

A Thoroughly ‘Pre-War’ Constitution v Pre-war views of women are gleaned from the Constitution (Connolly 2003: 68; Scannell, 1988: 124). v These reflects traditional views which felt women should be confined to domestic roles that circumscribe their autonomy & made them reliant upon patriarchal institutions (Connolly 2003: 66; Kofman

A ‘Sacred Circle’ & ‘Archaic Social Order’ v This situation was compounded by a merger of church & state which lead to chauvinistic governance (Galligan 1998: 29; Gay 1995). v This produced what can only be described as an ‘archaic social

Constrained Pre-war Feminist Advocacy v This situation persisted throughout the pre-war period, with the state’s legislature defending Irish patriarchy. v Female advocacy groups rarely contesting the inequalities between the sexes & agreed with authority figures regarding the primacy of maternal duties. v Feminists preferred campaigning against government practices which drastically curtailed their involvement in the workplace (Connolly 2003: 82). v Victimisation was hidden & silenced.

Post-war Feminism Drives Inclusive Changes v Global feminism conveyed prejudicial distinctions to an international audience. v Ireland was no exception, with the feminist movement catalysing calls for change (Galligan 1998: 44).

Feminist Advances in Ireland v Post-war Irish feminism’s moderate manifestations were more palatable than radical offshoots & …became influential (Connelly 2002: 188). v It manifested itself through successful struggles for the liberalisation of divorce, contraception & abortion, laws that safeguarded victims, the overturning of the ban preventing married women from working, female TDs and the

This Helped Female Victims v Post-war Feminism articulated a distinctly feminine voice …that managed to fight discrimination & sexism through organisations like: Cherish (parental assistance), AIM (legal reform), the National Association of Widows and the Campaign Against Sexual Exploitation (Morgan 1984: 346). v Feminist used these groups to flag issues that plagued female victims (Galligan 1998: 112).

Looking Forward & Looking Back v Despite Irish feminism’s inability to replicate England’s tenacity or the Continent’s thought, its achievements are not insignificant… (Galligan 1998 64). v Ireland went from a pre-war country that found it difficult to discuss victimisation to a postwar one which cared for female victims RCC (Moore Walsh 2013: 188; Coffey 2006; Mc. Govern 2002; Rogan 2006 b; Cotter 2005). v Obviously more can be done

Conclusion v. The Pre-War Constitution v‘Sacred Circle’ & ‘Archaic Social Order’ v. Constrained Pre-war Feminist Advocacy v. Post-war Feminism Drives Inclusion v. Irish Feminism’s Advances

Q&A v Thank v I’d you very much for your attention. be happy to address any questions or comments.