Violence against women intensifies
by Hazel Gavigan
 
ETUC deputy general secretary, Esther Lynch said that although some laws, policies and services are in place, violence and harassment at work remains a major problem, especially for women.  
ETUC deputy general secretary, Esther Lynch said that although some laws, policies and services are in place, violence and harassment at work remains a major problem, especially for women.  

Violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified since the outbreak of Covid-19 according to studies and reports from those working with the people affected.

 

Speaking last month on the international day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, which took place on 25th November, President Michael D Higgins said every day we wait for the end of abuse of women and girls was a day too many. 

 

Addressing the Women’s Aid conference, President Higgins explained that violence against women in Ireland remains shockingly prevalent, with one-in-four women having been abused by a current or former partner according to recent statistics.

 

“We know from research that domestic violence tends to form a pattern of behaviour rather than an isolated event. That domestic abuse can also be linked with incidents of child abuse. That, in its extreme form, domestic abuse can and does result in female homicide.

 

“Since 1996, approximately 250 women have died violently in Ireland, with two-thirds killed in their own homes,” he said. 

 

President Higgins continued by saying that there can never be any cultural rationalisation for gender violence, and it’s a discussion which must be kept ongoing at the United Nations at every level. 

 

“Such violence needs to be called out for what it is: An abuse of rights formed from a sense of entitlement, superiority, misogyny or similar attitudes in the perpetrator, or because of a violent nature,” he said. 

 

Meanwhile, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has also found that women working on the Covid frontline have faced increased face-to-face abuse during the crisis. Much of this workplace harassment has moved online during confinement, facilitated by intrusive monitoring tools being used by many companies. 

 

To counter this new threat, unions are urging countries to ratify a new International Labour Organisation convention, which would commit them to prevent and address cyber-bullying and harassment. ETUC sent a letter  to ministers on the International day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, calling for its ratification. 

 

ETUC deputy general secretary, Esther Lynch said that although some laws, policies and services are in place, violence and harassment at work remains a major problem, especially for women.  

 

“There are not enough effective mechanisms in place today to prevent and tackle cyber-harassment, and particularly to prevent intrusive surveillance. “The best way to achieve progress is for governments to ensure the correct legal framework to tackle issues such as cyber-harassment, cyber surveillance, and to encourage employers to negotiate procedures with trade unions. This has already proved to be successful as companies with a trade union have 60% less sexual harassment,” she said. 

 

To learn more about International day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, click here

 

To read the ETUC letter to ministers calling for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 click here.

 

 

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