23 Nov 2012, 16:57
The United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which takes place next Sunday, is an opportunity for us all to underline our commitment to ending violence against women, according to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality.
Committee Chairman David Stanton, TD, said: “In 1999, the UN General Assembly designated 25th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. The date commemorates the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, in 1960 on orders of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.
“Violence against women and girls is a huge and widespread problem and it takes many forms. According to the World Health Organisation, at least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime - with the abuser usually someone known to her. All levels of violence against women should not and cannot be tolerated and the onus is on us all to work together to eradicate this problem from society.
“Next Sunday provides a chance to raise public awareness of violence against women and draw attention to the need for continuing action to eliminate violence against women.”
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee Membership
Deputies:
Niall Collins, Michael Creed, Alan Farrell, Anne Ferris [Vice-Chairman], Seán Kenny, Finian McGrath, Jonathan O’Brien, John Paul Phelan and David Stanton (Chairman).
Senators:
Ivana Bacik, Paul Bradford, Martin Conway, Rónán Mullen, Denis O’Donovan and Katherine Zappone.