We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has published the full governance structure of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) after concerns were raised around transparency and accountability.
NPHET, chaired by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, was convened at the end of January this year to coordinate the country’s response to Covid-19.
Members of that team are now front and centre, guiding the government in its actions and driving the public messaging around Covid-19.
Questions were raised last week by Labour leader Alan Kelly and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin around NPHET’s transparency and accountability given its input into Government decisions around restrictions and public health measures.
Let’s take a look at who sits on NPHET and its various subgroups, and what each group’s function is.
NPHET
According to the Department of Health, NPHET for Covid-19 was established on 27 January.
It takes its lead from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is tasked with overseeing and providing “expert advice, guidance, support and direction for the overall national response” on both a regional and national level.
There have been previous NPHETs established in Ireland in response to public health threats such as swine flu.
Membership, as previously reported by TheJournal.ie, comprises of representatives from across the health and social care service including the Department of Health (DOH), Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
According to the Department of Health, NPHET’s Terms of Reference include overseeing and providing direction, directing the collection and analysis of required data, directing communications at local, regional and national level and evaluating the readiness of Ireland’s health service to manage Covid-19.
Evaluating the health service’s capacity is done with a view to standing NPHET down eventually. That decision will be made by Dr Holohan in consultation with other members.
NPHET currently meets twice per week and, according to the Department, actions, decisions and recommendations are made by consensus of all members.
In terms of communication and transparency, NPHET’s recommendations are sent by letter to Minister for Health Simon Harris and to the HSE CEO Paul Reid after each meeting.
It was raised earlier this week that NPHET’s meeting minutes had not been published since 11 April.
In response to concerns raised around transparency, Dr Holohan said earlier this week that the delay in publishing minutes was down to a “workload issue”.
According to the Department, NPHET’s Secretariat “work diligently to finalise the minutes of the meetings as quickly as possible after the meetings, bearing in mind the pace of the current pandemic public health crisis.”
Here’s a full list of who sits on NPHET:
EAG
In addition to NPHET, which currently has 32 members from across the health sector, there are a number of sub-groups working alongside it.
This includes the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to NPHET, chaired by Dr Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory at UCD, who provides an update every Tuesday on lab testing numbers and capacity.
There are 27 members of the EAG, the function of which is to monitor and review evidence as well as “identify gaps, and update and provide clear, evidence-based expert advice on preparedness and response,” according to the Department.
There’s also the EAG Research Subgroup chaired by Professor Colm Bergin, Consultant Infectious Diseases, St. James’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin.
Comprised of 11 members, its role is to hone in on priority research topics, explore potential collaborative possibilities to advance Covid-19 research and to monitor and to monitor and track development at a European level.
Subgroups
Then there’s the Acute Hospital Preparedness Subgroup of NPHET, chaired by Tracey Conroy, Assistant Secretary, Acute Hospitals Policy Division at the Department of Health.
It was established on 3 March and its 12 members are tasked with oversight and ensuring the preparedness of the acute hospital system to deal with a significant increase in hospital admissions due to Covid-19.
Another subgroup of NPHET is the Behavioural Change Subgroup which was established on 18 March and is made up of nine members.
Chaired by Kate O’Flaherty, Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Department of Health, this group is charged with providing advice and researching population behaviours and drivers.
It advises the Communications Group on how best to communicate public health advice like washing hands, respiratory hygiene and social distancing.
Next up, the Guidance and Evidence Synthesis Subgroup of NPHET, chaired by Dr Máirín Ryan, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Health Technology Assessment at HIQA.
This subgroup is made up of 18 members and its role is to report to NPHET on the public health and clinical guidance relating to Covid-19, currently in development and to be developed in Ireland.
Modelling Group
To an extent, there’s some crossover on who sits on which subgroup and the heads of each subgroup also sit on NPHET.
For instance, Professor Philip Nolan, president of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, who also heads up the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.
This group comprises 25 members from across universities, HSE, Department of Health and HIQA.
This group’s function is to capture how Covid-19 has spread throughout the Irish population and to develop the capacity to enable real-time modelling of Covid-19 in Ireland which in turn will inform NPHET’s decision-making.
The group itself is made up of three subgroups; Epidemiology Modelling, Demand/Supply Modelling and Geospatial Mapping Modelling.
In addition to this Modelling Group, there a further five subgroups.
These include the Health Legislation Subgroup of NPHET (19 members), the Medicines Criticality Assessment Group (27 members), Medical Devices Criticality Assessment Group (13 members), Pandemic Ethics Advisory Group (9 members), Vulnerable People Subgroup (30 members), Health Sector Workforce Subgroup (20 members).
As can be seen, Ireland’s response to Covid-19 is a considerable, multidisciplinary operation.
As well as the above-mentioned groups there’s also the Special Cabinet Committee at Government, the Crisis Communications Group and the HSE National Crisis Management Team feeding into NPHET’s response and acting on its recommendations.
To see the full details of functions and membership of each Covid-19 group, click here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
No one thinks dressing like a slut is an invitation to rape, bar about 0.001% of the population
That must be those pesky Mexicans
Precisely COYBIG, and they’re rapists
@coybig. That 0.001% seem to be either judges or police officers. I’m quite sure the minuscule number of male rapists are not fussy about skirt length.
This article refers to a Red C Poll on rape and attitudes. It’s 7 years old but I think we probably haven’t changed that much as a society in that time. “It found:
More than 30% think a victim is some way responsible if she flirts with a man or fails to say no clearly.
10% of people think the victim is entirely at fault if she has had a number of sexual partners.
37% think a woman who flirts extensively is at least complicit, if not completely in the wrong, if she is the victim of a sex crime.
One in three think a woman is either partly or fully to blame if she wears revealing clothes.
38% believe a woman must share some of the blame if she walks through a deserted area.”
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/rape-our-blame-culture-58757.html
“Then” feminism =
Women should be allowed to vote. Stop treating us like second class citizens.
It’s unfair that we have to submit to laws, yet we have no voice in the political process.
Women should be allowed to own property and sign contracts.
Women should be able to keep any money we make or inherit, instead of being the property of our husbands.
Women should be allowed to attend college, if we choose to.
“Now” feminism =
I’m a proud slut!
Complaining about the media objectifying and hypersexualing women while dressed in slut walk gear.
I’m growing out armpit hair to smash the patriarchy!
And I’m free, free bleeding!
RAPE CULTURE RAPE CULTURE EVERYTHING IS RAPE CULTURE
Don’t call me a lovely girl, I’ve sold 20 million records…….. Oh right..!
Carmella, don’t forget the Patriarchy! All participants of “slut walks” are spoiled kids throwing their toys out the pram. They achieve literally nothing, while ignoring the much bigger issues happening to both men and women such as homelessness, rights to abortion, rates of suicide, fathers rights. If you think walking down the street, half naked with “SLUT” wrote on your body will make a would be rapist change their ways, then you’re deluded. Then uploading these pictures to your fully public facebook page, and then wonder why you cant get a good job!
The point isn’t to “deter would-be rapists”, the point is to bring about a change in people’s attitudes with regards to the actions “women must take to prevent being raped”, instead of focussing on the fact that rape is ONLY to do with the rapist. Not that many years ago, women in this country who had suffered rape were brought before the courts and asked if they had ever been with a man before, or if they’d had anything to drink, or if they had walked home alone, or if they were wearing anything remotely revealing, as if the rape was somehow the woman’s fault. These attitudes are slowly dying out, and events like this are part of the process. I don’t know why so many men are getting het up about this anyway, it literally does not affect you in any way.
@MVeronica… I lock the door of my house at night in an effort to prevent burglary, but burglars will still make the effort. Your points about drinking, walking alone, wearing revealing clothing etc, and making the assumption that blame is being given, is a very loose argument. Walking alone, drunk, in skimpy clothing is a stupid idea in itself… As is walking down the street as a tourist with a map open in front of you and your wallet hanging out of your backpack. If I left my house unlocked at night, with the curtains open, and a pile of cash in the window… would you feel sorry for me if I was burgled? Knowing that the burglar was not the average person walking down the street and took an opportunity, but someone who went out with the intent to steal something…Or would you think I didn’t do myself any favours under the circumstances? As long as there are criminals, there will be opportunities taken to commit crimes. Nobody deserves to be the victim of a crime, especially rape, but people will take preventative measures to reduce the risk associated with particular crimes. Knowing how, when, and why crimes are perpetrated helps us general folk to to make efforts to reduce the risk, as we won’t be able to eliminate the crime.
Sorry, but your entire comment is hilarious. Are you comparing women to houses? Inanimate objects that have no consciousness or morality of themselves? Having your house robbed and being raped are utterly different. The point of rape isn’t to steal sexual gratification, it’s to demonstrate power. You say it’s a bad idea to walk home drunk alone, I say that you’re more likely to be raped by the person walking you home than you are by a stranger. The only thing women can do in any situation to fully “prevent” being raped is to stay inside, alone, all day every day. Notions that you should need to “protect” yourself from the wilful actions of another person against you are also fuelling the idea that all persons want to harm you in that way. I thought that “not all men” are rapists, so then why are we treating them as if they are by insisting that women keep their luscious flesh covered, in case a male gaze falls upon it? The whole thing is a crock of shit. It’s embarrassing how many people are on here suggesting that women wanting to be able to wear whatever they want without fear of sexual assault is somehow “anti men”. So tiring.
well put sir
” It’s embarrassing how many people are on here suggesting that women wanting to be able to wear whatever they want without fear of sexual assault is somehow “anti men”. So tiring.”
You are taking it out of context, its not women wanting to be able to wear what the want, its women trying to label men as neanderthals that will automatically rape any woman dressed in anything revealing. I agree that a woman is more likely to be raped in the home, how is walking down the street with slut written on their bodies going to help those women?
Well said.
M.Veronica, can you read my comment again and draw the correct meaning from it. I did summarise my analogy at the end… “Knowing how, when, and why crimes are perpetrated helps us general folk to to make efforts to reduce the risk, as we won’t be able to eliminate the crime.” … I’m not comparing women to houses, no more than I’m claiming that everyone around you could be a rapist… Crime will always exist, nobody can prevent it, but we can make efforts to minimise our chances of becoming a victim – regardless of what crime that may be.
I’m not sure if we’re reading the same comment thread, because I haven’t seen any evidence to suggest women should cover-up or stay indoors, everyone’s in agreement that women can wear what they want.
Men are far more likely to be randomly assaulted while walking home drunk(albeit not sexually) which is also a demonstration of power. Many people would say to young man assaulted in such circumstances that they should have been more careful, why are these people shamed? I know because violence against men is socially acceptable.
>You are taking it out of context, its not women wanting to be able to wear what the want, its women trying to label men as neanderthals that will automatically rape any woman dressed in anything revealing.
Women aren’t trying to label men as Neandarthals, women are saying they want to be able to dress however they please without having the blame of being raped put on them. Women are telling you that they are experiencing this, and you are saying that they are not. Why? How can you possibly know what they are experiencing?
>Many people would say to young man assaulted in such circumstances that they should have been more careful, why are these people shamed?
Are you seriously telling me that people are telling your men to dress more appropriately so they don’t get beaten up? That the length of their trousers are commented upon?
Also, you know that this awful culture of young men being victims of serious assault is in a large portion due to toxic masculinity? Something feminism is trying to address?
I’m so glad I’m gay
@carmella, best post ever.
Feminism used to be a worthwhile cause and now it is just a bunch of first world princesses screaming about a non-existant rape culture.
By changing the culture to one which makes it clear for the young would-be rapists the difference between right and wrong… The natural extension of your argument is the one that sees women covered head to toe in Islamic cultures for their own protection… Every time you give an inch(of a material) you’re reinforcing the idea… Until women who dont stay locked at home keeping purdah behind walls are seen as “game”.
A girl wearing a short skirt doesn’t make you want to rape them, so why would you argue against this movement?? You actually agree!
But the messed up rapists- of whom there are A LOT out there,
need to hear from you- the normal well adjusted guy- that whatever shes wearing- even if shes naked- they don’t “kinda have a point” and get to hurt her
A ‘slutwalk’ isn’t going to sway the opinion of a person who genuinely believes a woman who dresses a certain way is responsible for her own rape. These are the ‘lunatic fringe’ of men. Does any rational person is this day an age actually believe that slutty clothes = ask
Absolute condescending bullsh|t.
*asking for it. Oops!
Maybe I’m nieve, but as a young fella iv never heard a person say she was asking for it after any incident of that kind. Iv heard about it in American culture but I didn’t think it was a problem here. Iv obviously heard things said about girls, but never anything like that..
Yeah the feminist would love to think that we men all hate women but sure as Finchy from the office would say, “How can I hate women? My mum’s one”
I heard an American girl on the radio say that when she first moved to Dublin she couldn’t get over the amount of prostitutes walking around on a Friday and Saturday night. It took her a few weeks to realise that they weren’t prostitutes but just ordinary girls on a night out. They dress way more conservatively in the States.
Most of our European neighbours agree with your American mystery caller… I work with foreign students and most of the girls remark (with a grim look on their face) that Irish girls on a night out dress like prostitutes…most of the guys make the same remark with a keen smile :-) … and one pointed out that watching a drunken Irish girl trying to walk in heels is remarkably similar to the walking style of a T-Rex…
They also dress more conservative in Iran. What’s your point?
The whole point of the slut walk is to highlight conversations like this. The point is that women should be as to wear whatever they want without the threat of sexual violence hanging over them. Men aren’t animals that can’t restrain themselves if they see some legs or chest, the aim of the slutwalks are to reiterate that. Who cares if people from another country don’t like the way we dress. Tough. They still shouldn’t be implying that women here are dressing like sex workers and thus somehow should be expecting a sex attack.
Sigh,
“…Irish girls on a night out dress like prostitutes”
I think that’s clear enough.
No. I 100% agree with Veronica.
Men and women should be able to wear whatever they want. It’s a real shame that that American girl thought Dublin was full of prostitutes. I never thought that and it hadn’t crossed my mind, that’s why I remembered it, I thought it was interesting.
M.Veronica, nobody said they should be expecting a sex attack…at least none of the men in here anyway. In fact most have resented the thought that what a woman wears somehow condones assault. The Slutwalk is to raising awareness of rape/consent, in the same way as discussing how to tackle obesity is over a Big Mac.
My point is that even women of similar western-culture and religion find such attire distasteful and wouldn’t wear it for fear of being confused with a sex worker. The women in Iran which you deem an appropriate comparison, all wear sexy lingerie under their burka.
I’d love to have a crack of one them burka girls !
Your right Dave about the lingerie. I wore hot pants back in the 70s, my parents thought that was slutty. How you dress doesnt matter to a rapist, it may or may not heighten his excitement, but he was going to rape you anyway.
Yeah Jim the predatory sneer on ya in your picture there, I’d say ya didn’t mind at all.
I go out now on a Saturday to run an errand and it’s shocking what I see on young WANs.
This is More of this ridiculous American culture leaking into Irish society.
Veronica, the critical word is PRIDE. Does a woman pride herself that she is an intelligent, self sufficient human being that is as competent and capable as any other person (man or woman). Or does she take pride that she has a body that she can show off. Are her role models great scientist, thinkers, politicians, writers, etc. Or is it the Kardashians. Is her worth based on what she can contribute to society or what she can take from it? These are the things that all of us, male and female should consider. What we do and say, indicates much about us. A “slut walk” doesn’t say much good.
Posts like this are embarrassing. Can you point to 1 individual that you who thinks as you suggest. It’s idiotic proto feminist BS., painting all men as potential rapists. FFS.
Exactly Gerry, nobody is more likely to sexually assault someone if they are wearing a mini skirt. It’s a ridiculous strawman argument by feminists designed to demonise men. It’s pathetic and most women are to sensible to have anything to do with it.
Few are more likely to be raped because of wearing a miniskirt, but the issue here is that society will ask the woman what she was wearing when someone else decided to rape her, and then subtly imply that if she had dressed like a “proper lady” and had some “pride in herself as a human being and didn’t need to wear something she liked” that she wouldn’t have been raped. This isn’t about painting all men as rapists either, but it’s funny that you’re so worried about that. You’re all so offended by women saying they want to be able to wear whatever they want without being blamed if someone rapes them. I wonder why?
“I wonder why?” What on earth are you getting at? You should explain your self quickly V because it sounds like you are drawing some conclusions here. I don’t find it offensive that women should be able to wear what they want, I find it offensive that a group of feminists are saying there is a problem with victim blaming(especially among men) when there clearly isn’t. Don’t forget that most men have women in their lives and care for them a lot more than some crazed idiot feminists who hate men and want to divide us.
I’m saying that because there are a lot of (people who are presenting as) men complaining about the fact that some women have organised an event for themselves to highlight problems they are experiencing. I don’t understand why women saying that people are blaming them for “bringing it on themselves” when they wear a short skirt, or that they were “asking for it” when wearing a top that has their arms out. From my own experiences I can say that this kind of thing is alive and well, and I’m fully in support of any action that brings these issues to light so we can confront them.
This isn’t about dividing men and women, it’s about bringing them together as equals. For some reason it’s always assumed that as a hardcore feminist I don’t have men in my life that I care about. I love my partner, my father, my uncles, and friends, and I what I want for society is to their benefit too. It’s absurd that you’re saying women should have to police themselves to avoid being raped by men. Men (and women) rapists should be the ones being policed, not their victims.
I have a problem with a tiny amount of women coming together to create a problem to demonise men because they are professional victims.
Well it’s a matter of taste, there are a lot of people in Ireland who, don’t like how young females dress and behave, the warrior princess look in high heels does not turn my head, apart from when I hear them hit the pavement
Who is demonising men? Read the article again. It is about women getting blamed for being a victim of rape. Have you ever been judged for what wear? Told you were asking for it by the length of your trousers? The cut of your tee shirt? No. Because that would be ridiculous, right? And those on here saying Dublin women dress like prostitutes, who would set the standard that it’s alright for women to dress by? You? The Taliban?
Deborah,
We are all judged by what we wear.
If a woman chooses to dress like a prostitute it is not an indication that she has consented to sex.
If however there is evidence that the woman has led the accused on in some form, then that is a matter that should be raised in his defence, this would include how she presented herself to the accused.
As a protest, this is an attempt to further remove defences from the accused.
One might have hoped for a little more class.
>If however there is evidence that the woman has led the accused on in some form, then that is a matter that should be raised in his defence, this would include how she presented herself to the accused
wat
I’m just going to leave this here for the Freudian analysts: “it’s my HOT body, I do what I want”
Problem is though articles like these make absolutely no difference to rapists.
I’ve being wondering what all this slutwalking was about and where it originated from. That’s good to know now. You’re really only entering slut territory if you take it up the arse on the first date. Not that there’s anything wrong with that either.
All women are potential sluts, you just have to use the right words.
They’re all sluts………..except my mother.
Wait now, is there really a need for this crap ? Nobody thinks it’s an invite to rape someone who dresses like a slut.
What does dressing like a slut entail?
For one it ain’t wearing a swimsuit to prove your point.
Bob, dressing like a slut is Ms Personality’s way of saying that what Ms Shortskirt is wearing (or isn’t wearing) attracts too much male attention. Attention which should be evenly divided between all the Ms Personalities in the room. Turning Ms Shortskirt, into Ms Cheapslut in the glare of an eye!
Dressing like a slut makes you a slut in the same way as eating vegetables makes you a vegetarian… It’s more what you rather than what you wear and I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of slut-labelling was found to be done by women. Men don’t rape women, rapists rape women – assuming by popular thought that all perpetrators of rape are men, and men have never been targeted by women as objects of desire/ridicule. Just because you dress like a slut, it doesn’t make you a slut. And just because I look at you like a rapist, it doesn’t make me a rapist.
‘This is not what a rapist looks like’
So dressing like a slut makes you a slut and sure you’re only to blame if some poor lad stumbles upon you. You were asking for it!! Maybe you would like to educate us poor women what proper dress is?
Yes Deborah, read beyond the first 8 words… it should be assumed that when I said “in the same way as eating vegetables makes you a vegetarian” … means that the vegetables on the plate form part of the overall meal, including the all-important meat part… I didn’t think that I needed to explain that part.
The first 8 words of my statement do not amount to a conclusion/opinion.
There are 2 types of people in this world, those who can extrapolate from incomplete data
Bird in the pic certainly isn’t a sex object!!
Just saying
Can you explain your comment Fionn?
He’s not sexually aroused by the girl in the swimsuit. To hazard a guess.
confirming Ted is a tool
Who says women are expected to look hot and up for it ?
Nora Batty does me…
Attention seeking fools…
Taliking about yourself in the plural tony?
It’s all the socks he wears!
Well don’t be offended if some of us men watch the proceedings of the walks and add to our mental wankbanks!
Lorraine, for a brief minute when I looked at your profile picture I thought it was Katie Hopkins. (Sorry).
Don’t mind him Lorraine you look like a young heidi klum
Of course women have the right to do what they want with their bodies, so why are feminists making it illegal for women to work as prostitutes?
No only the men who solicit them are criminals. The women themselves are victims. Its all explained in chapter 4 of “The Eternal Victim” – the new age corporate feminist guidebook. Check it out.
Who actually questions the length of a rape victims skirt? I hear complaints about this supposed problem from bloggers every week but even “the bottom half of the Internet” doesn’t delve that low on stories of actual rape. It’s important to differentiate between “how short was her skirt” and that story doesn’t add up (see University of Virginia and the Duke Lacrosse team).
Contrast this hysterical whingefest article with an article in today’s indo I’ll copy and paste it simply for reference purposes;
_______________________________________________________
Deluded feminists divide us and imperil basic freedoms
Women have achieved much of what they wanted, but now the grievance-mongers have taken over, writes Ruth Dudley Edwards
Ruth Dudley Edwards Twitter
PUBLISHED
22/11/2015 | 02:3019 COMMENTSSHARE
This is a “trigger warning”. Reach for the smelling salts, victims of the patriarchy. I intend to be offensive.
For the benefit of challenged readers, here is the Urban Dictionary’s definition of the term: “A phrase [whose] purpose is to warn weak-minded people who are easily offended that they might find what is being posted offensive in some way due to its content, causing them to overreact or otherwise start acting like a dipshiit.”
I mentioned on Facebook, last week, my amusement that my IRA-sympathising Twitter critics had moved as a body from one hymn to another. These people cannot grasp that I subscribe to the adage: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Instead of calling me an “ugly old c***”, they’ve taken to explaining that I’m deranged, crazy, mad, should be committed and so on. So my comrade Nick Cohen, the doughtiest of doughty fighters for free speech, posted the comment: “That’s outrageous. You are not that old.”
That, touchy feminists, is what is known as a “joke”.
I did not have hysterics and flee to a safe space, which is defined by that same dictionary as “a place where college students can go if they have been subjected to ideas that differ from the progressive narrative. These safe spaces have pillows, soothing music and an understanding, sympathetic staff.”
Nor did I report Nick to the police and demand he be silenced. I laughed.
It has been one of the joys of my life that mutual respect and easy friendship between men and women, which was unusual in Ireland and Britain in my youth, became a norm in these islands. My younger friends are unselfconsciously at ease with the opposite sex, and mutual teasing is a part of that. All this is undermined by the tiny minority of women who are helping the struggle for equality to mutate into the assault on free speech that is modern feminism.
In my lifetime, with the help of many sympathetic men, in the West, women achieved equality in education, employment, pay, marriage and pretty well everything that mattered. There were no issues outstanding that could not be worked through with persistence and goodwill.
And then, the grievance-mongers and seekers after victimhood took over, and, inevitably, academics got involved and made everything worse with intellectually contemptible theories and jargon.
I was watching this coming in the early 1990s, when I wrote a satirical crime novel, set in Cambridge, called Matricide at St Martha’s: it involved a lethal row over a large bequest to the college which some fellows wanted spent on a Centre for Gender and Ethnic Studies.
The book’s unapologetic opponent of political correctness explained in a speech to students: “For my generation, female liberation was about casting off the shackles imposed on women by society and rejoicing in the freedom to be human beings. It is therefore with alarm that we have seen the trend on the campuses of America, and even here, toward the pursuit of victimhood: I believe our job is to escape it, not pursue it.
“I want St Martha’s to be a college in which liberated women follow their stars, not one in which feeble throwbacks to the Victorian era whimper about hurt feelings, bitch about political correctness and act like frightened virgins if a man touches them without a pre-witnessed contract.”
That was 21 years ago. Since then, as they squabble about nonsense, the new brigade of self-styled social-justice warriors have become ever more indoctrinated and crazed. Infected with the modish concept of the interconnectivity of race, capitalism and gender, and ill-informed and intellectually incurious, they hunt in packs for evidence of oppression, demanding complete conformity and screaming for the silencing of anyone who would challenge them.
Their chief allies are equally illiberal and touchy gays, lesbians, transsexuals, members of ethnic minorities and so on, as well as the totalitarian left and wimpish university administrators who cave in to demands for censorship.
Consider the No Platform policy, as exemplified here: “Birmingham City Students’ Union is an environment that promotes multiculturalism and equality, racists and fascists should not be provided with the opportunity to speak to an audience at any Union event. Nor shall any Union officer share a platform with any known racist or fascist at any event where they are invited to speak. Birmingham City Students’ Union promotes itself as a safe space and is active in campaigning against all forms of discrimination”.
It goes without saying that racists and fascists are very broad terms and, these days, include those who – like the legendary feminist Germaine Greer – consider that undergoing sex-change surgery doesn’t make you a woman.
Cardiff University students launched a petition to stop her speaking in Cardiff on Women and Power in the 21st Century: Kellie Maloney, once a boxing promoter called Frank, believes she should be “dragged into court” and “punished”.
On campuses, with war being waged on “lad-ism” and wild allegations being made about rape-culture, men are becoming frightened of challenging women, lest they are accused of harassment, discrimination, sexism or God knows what.
A Cardiff student called David Sherratt explained last week why he is part of MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way): “I’m genuinely too scared to go near a woman, just in case. At university, I’m made to feel like a rapist all the time.”
And in the workplace, men are nervous that saying the wrong thing might lead to a complaint or a lawsuit.
Listen, you social-justice warriors, you need to get a sense of perspective and (trigger warning) man up. The West is now in a war against Islamists – violent fundamentalists who would enslave all women and murder all those they consider deviants.
Men, women and the transgendered should all be standing up to this terrible threat together: for most of us, our main weapon to challenge this toxic ideology is through the freedom of speech they hate.
Chuck that away and the barbarians really have won.
http://www.ruthdudleyedwards.com; @ruthde
Sunday Independent
Thanks for that Apogee…you wouldn’t have the sports pages handy too…?
While your at it apogee, write out the Golden pages phone book..
Don`t tell me Apogee, they locked you in the basement of FG HQ and left you alone with the Computer, and you`ve been banging away goodo on it all night…
Cool Story Bro….
Listen lads if you get those sort of urges just think of Joan Burton and you will be cured
I encourage ‘slutwalk’…where can one go to watch a ‘slutwalk’?…asking for a friend
John Binman, the most honest and loyal guy in Manchester. Who never judged a woman on her looks, and who was searching for that special woman who he could spoil with love and affection…walks into a busy niteclub wearing his best t-shirt…music thumping, beautiful girls everywhere… He’s followed shortly afterwards by a few Man Utd & Man City players in their flash suits, straight to the VIP section. All the girls in the club, young and old, rush over to John Binman and fight for his attention, throwing themselves at him, wanting to become Mrs Binman because of the happiness he can fill their hearts with…. HAHAHA HAHAHA! (even the women reading this know that wouldn’t happen!)
Why do you hate women so much?
My guess is inferiority complex. Hates that women he wants don’t want him, therefore hates women. Makes sense, because I now hate men because of all the unrequited crushes I’ve had. Not.
You misunderstood the irony my analogy Deborah… evolution has hardwired women & men to seek out the most appropriate ‘mate’ to ensure the best genes are passed on. In it’s most basic form.
Your question is really based on assumption, and to dispel your theory:
I have a mother, a wife, and a 5-year old daughter. I’m self-employed and there are 4 people working in my office…
- My mother gave me life and gave me the power of self-expression.
- My wife started her own business 2 years ago and has had my support & belief from the start. It even meant me double-jobbing to support the family during this initial period where she’s not earning a salary…in addition to doing the ironing, school-runs, and other general domestic support.
- I compliment my daughter on her skills, abilities, and achievements.. when her friends belittle her about what she wears or how her hair is done, I remind her what a wonderful & creative person she is, and how it’s hilarious when she farts like it’s a competition. So she knows my admiration is not based on how pretty her dress is.
- Of the 4 people in my office, 3 are women, all are mothers, and all are valued. None are qualified for the job they were hired for, but they own it and are paid well.
I’m not sure if I hate women, or if I hate the idea that some (not all!) women have the perception that they are perpetual victims at the hands of a modern society that they have helped to form. I can say for certain that none of the women surrounding me feel as though they are hard-done-by by life.
Just FYI – one of the women in the office has been banging on for weeks now about how she got wolf-whistled at when crossing the road while headed to a staff dinner. Utterly delighted she was.
M.Veronica (and Deborah to some extent)… it was a poor guess and a feeble attempt at an insult. You’ll note I haven’t degraded myself to personal attacks or the formation of character-assumptions based on the views you’ve expressed. I’m as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours, and if our opinions differ, then so be it… but there’s no need to draw conclusions on a personal level.
>I can say for certain that none of the women surrounding me feel as though they are hard-done-by by life.
I get that, but that doesn’t mean that ALL women are lucky enough to get through this life without falling foul of the shitty sides of sexism. Just to make a sort of example: the fact that you, as a young man, haven’t killed yourself, doesn’t mean that we don’t have a massive problem with young male suicide in Ireland. Just because it hasn’t happened to you doesn’t mean it’s not happening to others. You can’t just throw away what others are saying just because you yourself are in a position lucky enough to not experience it.
You sound like a good husband and father, but to be honest, the comments you’ve been posting here really do seem indicative of some sort of woman-hating. When your daughter grows up and starts going out in town with her friends, will you police what she wears? Do you want to be living in a society where you feel you HAVE to police what she wears, in case she attracts the roving eye of a rapist? Or do you think she should be able to wear whatever she wants, without the fear that it will make someone rape her?
Also, about your last sentence, “one of the women in the office has been banging on for weeks now about how she got wolf-whistled at when crossing the road while headed to a staff dinner. Utterly delighted she was.”, fair enough if she was delighted, that’s up to her, but the majority of women who DON’T want to be wolf-whistled at also deserve to have their wishes respected too. I know a guy who have bragged about having sex with a woman who was so drunk she had passed out, and he had volunteered to take care of her. That a-hole of a guy doesn’t also make all men rapists either.
M.Veronica… the problem with written communication is that the sentiment intended by the writer, may not be the sentiment considered by the reader… my opinions are indicative of someone who doesn’t like the way in which the minority of women seem to blame the majority of men for the decisions they make. If the message isn’t getting across, or if it’s not receiving support from it’s intended audience (in this case, men) – then why not change the way in which the message is delivered.
Women are more judgmental of other women than men are. And if women are to be successful in their plights then they really need to engage with the men who understand what they’re looking for, and (as ironic as it sounds) formulate a campaign from a man’s perspective in order to reach men on a level which is familiar & holds more impact/meaning. I think with all these campaigns, it’s not the message that’s being objected to, it’s the manner/method in which it’s being done – from a male perspective it makes us feel alienated. I’m by no means an expert, nor have I given any thought to “what would you do?” … but the fundamental flaw is a lack of ‘approach’ … like Michael J Fox said about teaching methods “if children aren’t learning by the way we teach? Then why don’t we teach them in the way they learn?” … it does make sense.
Most men are aware of the issues, most don’t partake in activities which are demeaning to women. Women also wolf-whistle, it’s not going to go away because nobody knows who are the people who will like it and who won’t… you can’t really ask the person you’re about to whistle at if they mind being whistled at… Just to be clear, I don’t holler or whistle at anyone.
As for my daughter.. It’s not a fathers job to teach his daughter how to be a lady, it’s his job to show her how a lady should be treated. Of course I’m going to tell her “you’re not wearing that” and of course I know that she’ll go down the street to her friend’s house to change back into the clothes she left there earlier… If I bring her up right then she’ll make the right decisions about who she associates with – policing her fashion-sense won’t be possible/realistic. She will make mistakes, and she will have her heart broken on more than one occasion, and I can only hope that I’m prepared for that! I really don’t think that what she will wear is going to make someone rape her.. no more than being a child will make someone kidnap her. There will be a fear & a risk, always.
Peace :-)
It’s great that all the men on this tread are baffled by this because they would never think of doing this. Unfortunately not all men are like this and these women are not doing this because there is no problem. Do you expect us to just take it and be silent? Just because you don’t see the problem doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Ask the women you know have they ever been touched or called names for not wanting what some man has wanted. You might be surprised.
This also happens to men Deborah, not just women.
Juxtapose this lame offering with the article about female genital mutilation in Gambia running concurrently.
Western corporate feminists are so far removed from the front line of real struggle they actually believe this attention seeking nonsense is activism.
Any Irish woman purporting to be a feminist with real convictions should be on the plane to the third world immediately where women face real and present danger on a daily basis.
But no, they won’t.
Coz that would involve getting their lazy arses up from the secure environs of social media and actually doing something constructive for other women in crisis instead of sitting around all day bitching and moaning about petty pseudo feminist issues.
I knew it. It’s always either “not all men are like that” or “be glad we’re not treating you as badly as we could be”. Ffs. So predictable.
If a group of people are telling you they don’t like how you’re treating them, the correct thing to do is to have a good think and look at how you could modify your behaviour. You dot explain to them “no, but I could be treating you a lot worse, and I’m enjoying the perks that come with treating you like that, so don’t mind me if I continue”.
Btw, “men experience that too” does really fly, because I’m pretty sure the number of times you’ve been aggressively groped, or shouted at across the street, or asked “how much”, is less that the number of times that I, and other women, have been. Also, the threat of actual sexual violence is a lot higher when you’re a woman, or gay (or in the eyes of society, an “emasculated and thus feminine” man), than if you are a straight man.
I knew it.
Another pseudo feminist who cannot or will not differentiate between men who commit rape or sexually harass women on the street and men who live their lives responsibly and relies on contrived scenarios to make sweeping generalizations about men in general to further her argument.
M.Veronica, yes women can wear whatever they want and shouldn’t have to fear they may be assaulted for it. The point many are trying to make here is that no matter how you say it, the twisted mind of someone who would assault a woman is not going to be changed by these actions. Joe Rapist is not sitting at home now contemplating the morality of his thoughts…
Veronica – it the same way you like to highlight this problem that a portion of men apparently have, what are your feelings on girls who like to get attention for wearing “slutty” clothing?
Who cares if they like to get attention for how they dress. Men also like to be admired for something they feel is attractive about themselves. The thing here though is that men don’t get accused of bringing their own rapes on themselves for doing so.
Well actually Veronica, by the letter of the law, men can’t actually be raped (by a women anyway). Would you not consider that a more important issue in the grand scheme of things?
Just because life is worse somewhere else does not mean that we shouldnt stive to better our own.
True but for some modesty is very important like in certain races and religions and a lack of modesty can be insulting to them. Should there not be a balance between what a person wants to do compared to how it effects others as well?
No .
That would be another soundbite of Islamo apologism from Mr Sands. Some loons can’t get enough even with the dead bodies stacking up.
Mo Hamhead I wasn’t talking about Islam but most of the world from Christians, Hindus and anyone not of a Western culture, even the old stock of the older generations here as well. Do you see Islam in everything then???
Sands you sound like a mullah- but i do think there is a need for Lycra-police in Ireland, the last time i saw so many camel toes I was in lanzarote
That is a bit racist, you know? Not everyone thinks alike?
Rapists won’t care about consent protests…
People are completely misrepresenting what the policeman said. Explaining behaviour does not entail condoning it. Explaining that a ‘slutty’ outfit will attract rapists does not imply you’re blaming a woman, any more than advice to avoid a dangerous part of town at night is blaming the person who goes there anyway.
I wonder what the “Syrian refugees” will think of the sluts out walking.
what a pile of crap. “Slutwalks” are for the tumblr generation of “feminists”, that think the term feminist is about beating down men, than equality. How many actual rapists have seen a slut walk, and thought, I’m going to chance my ways, I was wrong all along? Its just attention seeking, and achieves nothing.
How is women dressing however they want “beating men down”?
with their condescending “still not asking for it” slogan. I have never heard a guy say, look at her, shur she is just asking to be raped, being dressed like that.
That Tweet from Campus.ie though,’secual harassment’ and some people who have nothing to worry about.
I’ve read Louise’s book it was brilliant. I think every teen girl should read it (it’s ya but I’m in my late 20′s and really loved it) . It really highlights blame culture. I’m glad Louise was there to support them.
There weren’t enough photos
I Don’t think that dressing like a slut is an invitation to rape and I’d be pretty sure I can say the same for any of my male friends. If your dressed like a slut, then you probably are a slut. Don’t be trying to make excuses. You’re a slut, simples.
That post is for the Men or mice which ever you prefer have their brain between their legs. Operation transformation is needed and I’m not talking about losing weight
Yeah, you’re not talking about anything.
“One in three people believes that women who behave flirtatiously are somewhat responsible if they are raped, according to a very depressing Amnesty International report”
Im going to assume that is a global report, so includes third world and muslim countries, I doubt your little protest will change anything there.
How about fighting for actual rights for women who really need it , like those who get sold into slavery , cant vote, cant drive a car etc..
I think ‘Slutwalks’ are a great way to highlight sexual inequality in the same way that black people going around calling each other ‘n*gga’ has brought about an end to racism in today’s society.
Has this thing not died yet
I cant speak on behalf of anyone who has been raped, nor do I know anyone who has been raped. Yes rape occurs mostly by someone the victim knows but sexual assault in general happens constantly to women and a lot of men dont seem to consider it sexual assault. Ive walked through town in the middle of the day and had my chest groped and the guy acted like it was no big deal and i dont know any female friend who HASNT been disgustingly groped in nightclubs. And no I dont mean the guy your dancing with having a bit of a feel i mean walking through a crowd and having multiple guys slap your ass and literally stick their hands up your skirt in the most intrusive way. Or when at the bar having guys grind against you with zero invitation. Of course this is on no way the same as rape but a lot of people dont seem to realise that this is sexual assault. Just because a girl is wearing a skirt doesnt mean you have the right to put your hands up it as they walk by. When you question these guys theyre so shocked that youve questioned their actions or else they act like theyve done nothing wrong. It genuinely feels horrible.
Stop denying the influence of dressing up like a tart and drinking yourself stupid in rape crimes. While rape will always remain a vile and inexcusable deed, women must understand that if your falling about off your head with booze and you’re dressed like a slut, it will always be read as an invitation by some equally thick yokel . If you crawl through the chicken pen, your hands and knees are going to be full of doodoos.
Id
if women are good a one think, its the slutwalk !
have your say