academic pieces, critical analysis’s and intersectional matters…

Grassroots action is where change lies but our governments are still failing women.

It was the last day of November (2024), and it was at the Seamus Heaney Home Place. It was an all-women event called “Political Visions From the Grassroots.” A friend asked me to attend and contribute, and the promise of lunch, scones, and a day of connecting with other women was enough to encourage me to give up my Saturday for a day of cross-border sharing. I am glad I did go because what I heard was important, and the day was both engaging and inspiring in equal measure. I get a lot of abuse, disrespect, and bullying as an intersectional feminist academic, but this day affirmed everything I stand for and believe in. I needed it.

Last year (2023) I started two petitions with the website change.org in my campaigning on gender-based violence and environmental issues. The first began in March 2023 and is called- Stop Femicides in Northern Ireland, and the second is called- Love Lough Neagh: Stop Pollution, Protect Wildlife, and Empower Local Communities. The first petition has 99 signatures and the second has over 40,000, both started in the same year but one issue seems to be taken more seriously and has much greater media support than the other. Both these issues have been stated to be on the list of priorities for Stormont, one has much more public support than the other. Why would everyone not want to stop women from being murdered?

At the event the attendees brought issues that mattered to the discussion and gender-based violence came up immediately, followed by health and the environment. These three issues dominated the day and the offerings from the group were brave, brutally honest, and politically and culturally damning. Many of the women who attended were mothers and grandmothers. While there was not always complete consensus and agreement on every issue, this non-agreement led to fruitful and respectful discussions, progress, and dialogue. This was my favourite part of the day; it was a safe and productive space to have respectful and progressive conflict which led to compromise and understanding.

In the afternoon 5 local female councillors attended from three of the main parties, namely Sinn Fein, SDLP, and DUP and they were asked to answer questions on key issues. They did not have an easy time and some of the participants were visibly upset and disappointed. Several women expressed that all our public services are set up to protect perpetrators of gender-based violence.  A recent criminal case heard in Dungannon court was shared where a man gave a full admission of guilt to Common Assault in a police interview. In court the judge acquitted the defendant, placing the woman and children in danger for reporting the incident. Even with full admissions of guilt from perpetrators, judges find insufficient evidence to prosecute.

The stories and statements from the women in the room were that there is little point in reporting as our services and courts are not fit for purpose -many crimes are reported, but few successful outcomes. The question was made to the politicians- what are you going to do about the judges? They could not answer. The law is seen to be archaic and misogynistic for most of the women who have engaged in criminal processes. It must be reformed to protect women from gender-based violence or there is no point reporting.

One of the political representatives who attended made the courageous and honest statement that “every woman in this room knows what it is like to have experienced gender-based violence and nothing be done about it.” Her words, her honesty, and her courage gave some of us hope. It is rare to hear a political representative be so authentic and raw about interpersonal violence and I was encouraged by her. Will this lead to meaningful action? Time will tell.

The word misogyny (hatred/ distrust of women) seems to make most people uncomfortable but is often misunderstood and misused. Women are often misogynists and this is because of an unfair and prejudicial power structure; patriarchy. Bell Hooks wrote “Patriarchy has no gender” and neither does misogyny, To succeed in my career and in my life I have depended on support and help from many men and thankfully received it. We must work together to stamp out injustices, but first we must recognise they exist. There are still gender pay gaps, women are still kept out of powerful decision-making processes, it is still not safe to report gender-based violence in this country, and women are being murdered here at a shocking rate.

Northern Ireland is not safe and if we want this to change we need to work together. Men should feel encouraged about what happened at the Seamus Heaney Home Place on the last day of November. If we want to live in a society where we all thrive we must discuss these subjects openly and honestly, but for that to happen we must create safe spaces to do that. The most masculine thing any man can do for a woman in this country is make her feel safe to express herself, this is when men and women work most effectively together.

We are not the same, this is to be celebrated and respected and the more we have vulnerable and authentic conversations about those differences the safer Northern Ireland will become. It will also mean we will have happier families, communities, and relationships. The personal is political, but the event at the Seamus Heaney Home Place proved that personal health, peace, relationships, and all shared spaces are political issues.

Northern Ireland is arguably moving into a new phase of peace, where the levels of sexual and domestic violence that have been perpetrated, on men and women, can no longer be ignored and must be seriously tackled and addressed. To deal with this effectively all attitudes must change, starting with the judges and including every home, club, and business in this country.