Free Tonight?

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Earlier.

Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2.

Tom Meagher (left), who has campaigned against violence against women since the murder of his wife Jill Meagher (McKeon) with members of ROSA (for Reproductive rights, against; Oppression, Sexism & Austerity), Rita Harrold (centre)  and Ruth Coppinger TD announcing ’16 Days Of Action To End Violence Against Women’.

Mr Meagher will appear this evening with Rosa members  at 7.30pm in Wynn’s Hotel, Abbey Street, Dublin 2 for a public meeting on ‘Ending Rape Culture’.

End Rape Culture Public meeting (Facebook)

(Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie)

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94 thoughts on “Free Tonight?

      1. Mr. T.

        ” am actually for austerity…”

        You agree with cutting services to disabled children and the elderly?

        1. Happy Molloy

          I’m for spending as much or less than we earn. you know, living within our means.

          you’re for more debt on our nation?

          1. Bobby

            Oh my God you’re not. Grand, well look don’t talk about it like it’s an economic issue. Neoliberalism and austerity are ideologies. Debt has nothing to do with it. And eh, sorry, but a little grasp of economics says dept is crucial, and the ideology of austerity has laden the Irish State with an unsustainable amount of debt.

            So what’s your point exactly I’m confused?

          2. Happy Molloy

            of course there’ll always be debt, but our income only covered a small fraction of our spending ffs!

            austerity is simply trimming those expenses, sucks and all that but it needs to be done.

            this is abc stuff lads…

      2. Bobby

        God is not a fact of life, austerity is not a fact of life. There are lots of things I can say and claim its abc stuff. You share a right wing assumption – not to say you’re right wing yourself. It’s like that there is consensus in universities that the trajedy of the commons exists in the real world, wheras it’s a complete myth when applied to reality.

        You don’t know its abc stuff. It’s an idelogogy that negatively affects growth in an economy, and its more abour privatusation and commercialisation. I dont know any serious economist that claims austerity is anything but that.

        Anyway, who needs all this real life stuff when you can claim God, or austerity or whatever your belief system is, is the real driving force.

  1. newsjustin

    I’d need to know where they stand on apple pie before I commit to going. I mean, they’re against oppression and austerity, but are they for puppies?

      1. Bobby

        Rape culture would be something like blaming women for being raped by a man, see Ireland for examples.. Rape culture is where men can sexually assault or touch a women without fear of social or legal repercussion, see Ireland for examples.. Rape culture is where people think that rapists are scary strangers and not close friends or family, see Ireland for examples.. Rape culture is where a male judge will show extraordinary leniency with a rapist, see Ireland for examples. Rape culture is where men think rape does not exist inside marriage, see Ireland for examples.

        Finally, and most crucially, rape culture is when sexual assault becomes so normailsed that the phrase the ‘not-rape epidemic’ has been coined, becuase, you know, ‘that’s not rape’. I hope you don’t ever have to support women in your life that not only have to live with the consequences of their attackers actions, but also have to deal with the flat denial by men like you.

        Man says rap culture is not real, thanks for clearing that up for all the women who claim otherwise.

        1. gallantman

          Maybe it says something about the company you keep that you think that there are enough people out there who hold the views you’ve outlined to warrant deeming it a’ culture’. That certainly isn’t the Ireland I live in. I live in an Ireland where rape and sexual violence are considered to be the most egregious offences, socially and legally, that anyone can commit.
          To suggest that there is a prevailing rape ‘culture’ goes some way, in fact, to excusing the abhorrent, and thankfully aberrant , actions of vile attackers of this type.

          1. Bobby

            So I take it you pay no attention to the years of controversial judicial decisions based around men sexually assaulting women. Like the judge who send a tax evader to prison but suggested a rapist pay a women in lieu of sentencing. I suppose you’ve also never noticed in your life the way men talk about women’s bodies, or have ever seen a man sexually assault a women at a party, or club, or bar etc (this is where I get a chance to explain to you that rape and sexual assault are not a stranger beating up a woman and holding here down and performing penetrative sex in a dark alley, it’s non-consensual or unwanted sexual contact, and most men don’t like to hear that they themselves treat women like crap).
            I like the way you describe rape as abhorrent and vile, yet deny it’s existence in reality. Trying listening to women, or challenging yourself; it’ll make you a better person, and more empathetic and supportive.

            Before you get back to me on a mad one defending your centuries old privileges, read what I said, wait a minute, read it again, and think this is not directed at you, it’s in defense of the ongoing abuse women face day to day.

          2. Dόn Pídgéόní

            Hey feminists, it’s all off, gallantman says no such thing.

            I’ll book a nice holiday so

          3. Deluded

            +1 Bobby.
            All I can say is that when I started paying attention it was like a glimpse of a parallel universe.

      1. gallantman

        “Controversial” judicial decisions. You said it yourself-so contrary to the prevailing culture then.

        Again I’m not sure which men you are fraternizing with. I’ve heard men talk about womens bodies alright but I have never been party to a conversation which advocated, excused or encouraged actual unwanted physical contact with a woman. I don’t know anyone who would tolerate such a discussion.

        P.S. Can you just identify the point at which I denied the existence of rape there?

        1. Bobby

          Look, I’m a guy and I know so many women who are exhausted arguing with men who don’t want to hear it. No matter what I say, you’ll defend the decision. The fact that all these men get off in court, and that women kick up a fuss proves nothing. It proves the laissez-faire attitude to sexual assault. So here it is, after just a few comments I give up. I know too many women that have been sexually assaulted, including my mother and sister, and a hell of a lot of my friends, to believe what you’re saying. Do you seriously expect me, or any other sensible man, or any women, to believe that you don’t know anyone that would tolerate a conversation around sexualisation and idolisation of women’s bodies? You know there are layers of sexual abuse, and it begins thinking women are there for men’s sexual convenience, and linked to things like pathologically interrupting women when they speak, or not listening. If you deny that you and your friends do this then you’ve bucked the trend and revolutionised the way men interact with women in Ireland.

          Actually, while we’re here, do you want to tell us the patriarchy is a feminist lie, or is it just the ‘natural order’. Sometimes I think we’re on the right path, then I remember there are men like you…

          Maybe you grew up without patriarchy, which wold be difficult considering it’s been the international dominant political and social ideology for a couple of thousand years.

    1. Dόn Pídgéόní

      When do you launch your prevention of violence against men campaign Vin? Would love to hear about it?

      1. rotide

        I’m launching one with a group that is also against Cancer, Unemployment, National socialsm and Torture. I’m against all them.

        If only i could think of a good snappy name

      2. Mike

        oh cos he’s not right, isn’t it!? cos there isnt any right?!? ha ha! what a d1ckhead!! amiright?!? hillllarious!!!

        1. Bobby

          Of course there is. Thanks for helping drag the tone down. Another one of broadsheets outstanding contributers.

    2. Kerri Ann

      Violence against men is both less prevalent and more likely to be deserved. This thread would be a good place to start.

      1. newsjustin

        “…more likely to be deserved…”

        What are you basing that on? Good, old-fashioned, gut feeling?

        1. Kerri Ann

          Most violence is committed by men. Therefore violence against men is more likely to be reciprocal. Could you really not figure that out?

          1. sǝɯǝɯʇɐpɐq

            ‘More likely’ is good enough for me Kerri Ann.
            Here’s a tip…Why not involve your brother, maybe an uncle or two?
            (I know they’re male, but yerman is still getting the hiding he ‘more likely’ deserves.)

  2. Mr. T.

    All the sneery comments because one of the speakers is a Socialist. Some of you are more concerned with that than the issue of violence against women.

    1. Bobby

      Actually ROSA is a front for the Socialist Party. They used to not do fronts to get more people into their party, unlike their frenemy the Socialist Workers Party; but it was founded by, is funded by, and is controlled by the Socialist Party, who’s politics has turned to nonsense.

    2. Happy Molloy

      just seems like they’re very different topics to marry together individually valid as they may be

      1. Bobby

        Yeah it’s mental. But remember, this group, like the Irish Anti-War Movement, Unite Against Racism, The People Before Profit Alliance, the Anti-Austerity Alliance, ROSA, and a load of other groups are fronts for political parties used to funnel new activists into the party.

        It’s actually really deceitful. ROSA has taken the cake though. Political parties, whether they’re Sinn Fein, Labour, Fine Gael or the Socialist Party, they will do anything for more members.

        The problem I see is that the Socialist Party can’t actually get any policies together and are losing lots of members who’ve been around a long time. So, build something, anything; ROSA/AAA etc, to plough through more members to hand out leaflets, fliers and papers. They have no ideas for how to organise an economy, never mind the bus service..

          1. Bobby

            I’m a libertarian Marxist (omg). I was in the SP when I was a teenager. I follow left politics, and the rest pretty closely. What I said was the truth.

            And if you’re messing with me, well done..

        1. Deluded

          Hi Bobby.
          That’s a horrifying thought: It is hard enough to get women, men and children to bring their assailants to court.
          Will accusations now be dismissed as part of some political machination or “feminist agenda”?

          As I understand it, 1 in 4 children are abused and that most abuse, of adults and children, happens within the family or close acquaintances. Is it possible that 75% of people have no experience of this and that many are horrified or disgusted and don’t want to countenance it? If it was ‘just’ a physical assault it would be treated completely differently and the experience of the victim would be completely different.
          (For instance, in the squirming over the Pat Carey debacle I can’t find any explanation or even discussion of why the victims’ stories were not taken seriously by the Guards.)

          I understand that some people think it is funny- it’s traditional in prison stories, for example. I have wondered why this is so.

          1. Inapro

            +1 th fact she is a socialist is irrelevant here. people dont have much going on to be hating her for this

  3. Eric Cartman

    end rape culture is the “adult in physical form only” equivalent of the boogeyman or monster in the closet.

    1. Bobby

      Dear God, which of the men’s bubbles do you live in? You should try actively *listening* to women. You’ll learn a whole lot about your own shameful ignorance. God help you when you have to deal with, if you ever have to deal with, a sister, mother or daughter who has been sexually abused. The read travesty though is how you’re gong to deal with reality when it comes knocking on your door; will you just shout at the woman until you’re hearing what you want to hear again.

      Disgusting comments here from men living in a fantasy world.

      1. Eric Cartman

        sexual assault is real, rape culture and a society that encourages sexual assault is not. this is nothing more than feminist twaddle dressed up as real concern.

        Sexual assault needs to be tackled in a gender neutral construct, but just remember, sexual assault has more than halved since 1997 and we are working towards lowering that again, but pretending like theres a ‘rape culture’ or that its flared up is just nonsense.

        1. Bobby

          Deny it all you want. The good people who care about truth and justice will keep up the hard work. Well done for your contribution to violence against women.

          ‘Sexual assault needs to be tackled in a gender neutral construct’. Yeah, and racism needs to be tackled in a race neutral construct.

          I hope no women ever need your emotional support.

        2. Bobby

          By the by, I like the phrase ‘feminist twaddle’ You’re following a long lineage of men outright dismissing issues women bring up.

          1. Eric Cartman

            I like how you generalise and say just men. Theres lots of women quite rightly standing up against feminism and the monster its become. Feminism made sense in days gone by when there were actual rights denials and injustices to women. Now with the exception of the abortion issue , everything else is an exaggeration , speculation on what could happen or just sheer lies.

  4. Bobby

    Did you know that feminism is opposition to patriarchy? Did you know patriarchy is the social and political domination of men? Did you know we live in a patriarchal society? Feminism is misunderstood, you are misunderstood.

    So are you one of those people that ‘doesn’t see colour’? Convenient as feck to be a white male eh!? You don’t actually ever have to experience any of the issues, but you’re the dominant category, so you can just explain everything AT people.

    Women are grand with the exception of the abortion issue yeah? Why don’t you talk to, not AT, but to some women and then, and this is the tricky part men have – I know because it took nearly a decade for me to realise, and take seriously that I wasn’t doing – try listening to women.

    Are you not a little embarrassed as a man to be taking the side of d**kheads. Look where you are; this was a post about stopping violence against women and you’re coming out swinging against feminism. Go learn something, make the world a better place.

    1. Lorcan Nagle

      While I would have identified as pretty left wing and a feminist/feminist ally for a long time, I did find that once I started having these sorts of conversations with women instead of just assuming our society was progressive and these things were all outliers, it was a real eye-opener. It’s very easy to see yourself as supportive and yet be quite dismissive at the same time.

    2. Clampers Outside

      He has a point about ‘feminism’ and the catch all umbrella it covers.

      Not all feminist groups are the same, it’s quite splintered within and you’ve Ms Prizzie (spelling?) one ofvthe world’s most famous feminists who has joined a mens’ group…
      It’s devisory, unfortunate, and complicated…. certainly not a ‘with me or against me’ position visible now more than ever….

      1. Kerri Ann

        So you don’t care enough about gynocide to google “Ms Prizzie”, but you’ll respond to an initiative against it with “it’s oh-so-compwicated, feminists awen’t all saying the same thing.” What kind of person do you actually think you are?

        1. Clampers Outside!

          Sorry… what now…?
          Don’t care enough, what? So I didn’t get her name right, it’s a comment section, not an essay. And the “(spelling?)” is a pretty standard way of acknowledgment of that when one wants to write a quick point.

          I haven’t gone against anything here, just pointed out that feminism is not a uniform movement…. as for your baby talk bit, it’s beyond juvenile….. and if anyone is doing a discredit to the conversation / comment thread here, it’s your idiotic comment.

          I know who I am, thanks.

        2. Clampers Outside!

          “So you don’t care enough about gynocide” ….. you’re one feckin’ complete and utter loola, making stupid assumptions like that.
          And you think gynocide goes on in Ireland…. well done you. Have a lie down before you hurt that brain of yours, ya spanner.

    1. Eric Cartman

      the only thing blazing in here are bobbys pants, with the lies and delusions he’s told himself over and over again in an attempt to get close to the tumblr nut jobs that call themselves feminists.

      Manspreading is not a thing
      Rape culture is not a thing
      Mansplaining is not a thing
      Stare Rape is not a thing
      Getting PTSD from words on the internet is not a thing

      1. meadowlark

        I’d like to tell you about my experience with sexual assault. In my first job, when I was 17, I worked in a bar as a waitress. I was working a private birthday party, and I found myself cornered on the balcony by two men who had been eyeing me up earlier in the evening. I was groped and grabbed at, my crotch, tits and ass. They didn’t ask. They just grabbed at me. It was extremely frightening for me because I couldn’t get away, I had no control. When someone came out on the balcony, they stopped. Following this, I told the head barman what happened. His response was to tell me to stop making sh#t up, don’t be so dramatic, and that I was overreacting and please get back to work. I am not exaggerating. He said each of those things to me during a less than five min conversation. I eventually told management, and it was wrapped up. I never told my friends or family or boyfriend. I really thought that I would lose my job over something like this, or that someone would think less of me or say it was my fault.

        1. meadowlark

          What I am trying to say is that I know many women who have experienced something similar, and have felt the same way I did. I am not saying that all men would behave in this way. I’d could never believe that. Most men would be horrified. But I am saying that the experience I just described is almost commonplace, as are the feelings associated with it. They shouldn’t be a commonplace thing. Education and awareness are a good start in changing things like this.

        2. Happy Molloy

          I don’t doubt you, I think maybe the reason the head barman reacted the way he did was that something like that happening is so unbelievable to a “normal ” man that they find it hard to believe…

          I know I always find it hard to believe people can be like that, again not doubting you.

          maybe its because it goes against most guys primary instincts which is to protect and they find it hard believe?

          I’m just pondering here…

          1. meadowlark

            I honestly can’t say. I don’t believe for a second that the barman is a bad guy. I do feel he made a poor choice at the time. I know was mortified afterwards, and he apolgised profusely. What happened was no more his fault than mine. But that is why awareness is so important. I believe, I hope that awareness and education will change how people react, and what people do, or don’t do, more importantly.

          2. meadowlark

            While I don’t blame him for what happened, I didn’t feel he was fit to be head barman either. Needless to say, I left the job soon after that.

          3. Bobby

            You ponder if ‘the head barman reacted the way he did was that something like that happening is so unbelievable to a “normal ” man’, or that ‘maybe its because it goes against most guys primary instincts which is to protect’

            But yet you will not ponder as to whether patriarchy or sexism has a role to play. Entertain anything but the truth.

          4. Happy Molloy

            how do you know I didn’t ponder that chief? I ponder lots of things, patriarchy and sexism being the obvious ones.

            but I always try to relate to people, that’s what I was trying to do with the barman to understand why he reacted that way.

            but maybe he’s just a pig…

          5. St. John Smythe

            If i may say so….That’s f@@king insane logic Happy Molly! Are you saying that if a woman you knew (a work colleague for example) came to you reporting that they had just been assaulted in a scenario where such things are more likely than average to happen (place with lots of men drinking alcohol), then you would have difficult believing her or processing it, because you personally couldn’t imagine the situation happening??

          6. Happy Molloy

            no ffs obviously not. just trying to understand why her boss who was supposedly sound had trouble believing it.

            I try to understand people. try it. it’s a lot more interesting than screaming people down who have different opinions to you

          1. Neilo

            M’good lady wife has done a few courses in Krav Maga. Superb martial art and it is very easy to pick up the basics.

          2. Nice Anne (Dammit)

            How about we take a step back and make sure that EVERYONE gets the message ‘Don’t be a rapey sh1t”
            If the hand is already reaching out to grab you, the belief this is ok, the expectation they are going to get their way., the sence of entitlement and the intention is already there.
            You may be the person who fights them off but the next girl/boy/woman/man may not be so lucky or next time the sexual predator may go determined to get their way with a knife.
            What then? Do we give anyone who may be a victim of rape a knife?

      2. myownself

        Everybody quick listen to Eric Cartman opinion on phrases that have recently become a shorthand and are used by women to explain situations that happen way too often. See people you are all wrong, everything is A-OK because this one person says nothing like this has ever happened or will ever happen! Sorry to burst your pretty little niave bubble Cartman, you’re just wrong man, but maybe you’ll refuse to see it until a woman or girl close to you actually explains to you the amount of crap that you have to put up with sometimes in this society just for being female.

      3. Bobby

        Oh, I didn’t see your comment where you accuse me of lying about rape – no man’s ever done that before – but then the icing on the cake; you seem to suggest that I’m doing it to get at a woman.

        Why don’t you take this as an opportunity to take a deep look inside yourself and at the ideas and attitudes that gravitate inside your head. I don’t do things to try to have sex with women. I like sex, I like it when I get along really well with a person and it’s an important part of building a relationship. But it seems that from your perspective, there must be only one motive for a) doing something with the express reason to ‘impress’ a women, and b) doing it for the reason I’m sure you’re trying to insinuate, which is to sleep with them.

        That’s not really how I form healthy relationships with my peers. Maybe you should think about the way you go about interacting with women, and actually stop to think about how you think about women.

        Here’s an easy thing to do. See how often you interrupt women. It’s a small step towards realising how we, as men, see where women fit into the daily narrative. Give it a go, nothing bad can come of it!

        I’m going to totally give you the benefit of the doubt, I would have sat there and said the exact same things a few years ago. I’m sure you’re sound day to day for the most part :)

      4. Kerri Ann

        Eric’s silence. That moment when you realise you’re wrong, but you don’t have the decency to admit it.

  5. Nice Anne (Dammit)

    Oh for goodness sakes, you menanazis saying rape is an issue need to take a chill pill.

    It is ok that we live in a society where men are objectified and only looked at as a sum of their chest and privates. http://www.rcni.ie/tag/objectification/

    It is totally ok that this objectification leads some men to consider other men as their property to do anything with that they please including brutal rape.

    It is totally ok that the trickle down effect of this are people laughing at ‘rape jokes’ thinking such behaviour funny and normal.

    It is totally fair that some men who rape men get lighter sentance than those that don’t pay income tax. Admitted guilt? Faking remorse? ill? Grand job. You will be almost surely be walking free. It is totally ok that the impact of your rape on the male victim is not taken into consideration.

    It is totally ok that the first reaction of some people is to wonder what a male rape victim was doing down the alley, why were they in that club, what they were thinking wearing *that* outfit, what their sexual history is and why he has no bruises (and my personal favorite) Why oh why didn’t he just fight off the two men who held him down?

    It is totally fair that men can walk out of court scott free after admititng raping other men: http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/rape-sentencing-ireland-magnus-meyer-hustveit-2217371-Jul2015/

    It is totally ok that because of the non seperation of Church and State that the biggest organisation in the country who covered up 100s of rape cases a years gets to demand that your kids are baptised into its ranks to be able to get an education that you as a tax-payer pay for!

    Yep, all perfect, it’s fine cos I said it’s fine, now quit whining men and make me a sandwich!

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