Election Statement
2016
ELECTION STATEMENT AND QUESTIONS
from
MENSVOICES2016
IRELAND: A COLD PLACE FOR MEN
There are many issues of inequality consistently excluded from the national equality conversation,
issues that concern the condition of men and boys.
Boys and men dropping out of home, education and life
This absence sends a loud and powerfully negative message to all citizens that the concerns of men and boys are not worthy of consideration. This, combined with the generally negative message on men and maleness throughout much of the media, contributes to a lowering of self-esteem amongst boys and men, leading to a host of social and psychological problems. Among these are: the tragedy of the hugely disproportionate rate of male suicide; boys and young men increasingly, and at all levels, failing in, or dropping out of education; the perturbingly low rate of reporting by male victims of domestic abuse (1 in three women report; only 1 in 20 men); and homelessness.
Among the many issues calling for immediate attention are:
1. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST MEN
Female victims remain almost exclusively the focus of attention and concern in any discussion and policy initiative to do with domestic violence: the suffering of the many male victims is consistently ignored or trivialised. The most glaring example of this is represented by our government’s signing of the Istanbul Convention, without having had any public pro/contra debate on its highly prejudiced content. The Convention has not yet been ratified, but should this occur it will have far-reaching and extremely adverse effects on men and boys. Using as its sole justification a now almost antique piece of 70’s feminist ideology, the Convention proposes a wide range of explicitly discriminatory measures prioritising female victims, and providing them with expansive ‘special’ privileges, protections and resources over and above those to be afforded to men.
2. SUICIDE
The male:female ratio of suicide is 4:1. This has been the case for decades. With the greatest urgency, and according it the highest priority, our government must initiate, and properly fund, an inquiry to identify and address the malaise which leads to such a high level of despair in our society’s male citizens that they choose to take their lives in such numbers. It may be convenient and comforting to identify the malaise as one of men’s own making - as some will insist (‘men just won’t share their feelings...’); this is uncompassionate, and it turns a blind eye to what are more fundamental attitudes and forces in our society.
3. BOYS FAILING IN EDUCATION
Boys are failing at first and second level education. And the number of boys entering Irish universities has now fallen to around 40 percent. Females predominate significantly in a majority of university subjects, including those (unlike STEM subjects) where a gender balance might be considered of more importance, such as law, medicine, education and social work.
4. FAMILY LAW INJUSTICES
The Irish family law system is deeply flawed and causing much hardship to ordinary citizens, especially men and children. The injustices suffered by men have their roots in structures, attitudes and legislation formulated without any account being taken of the needs and interests of men and fathers. In the vast majority of judicial separation cases, for example, it is the man who is removed from the family home and who has to endure unequal access to his children.
5. HOMELESSNESS
90 - 95% of those sleeping rough are men.
An estimated 70% of all homeless are men and boys. (Census 2011)
This is a gender issue.
If it were the other way around and it was 90% women who were sleeping on the streets...?
The truth is: it could never be the other way around. Our society simply would not allow it to occur.
This is an equality issue.
And it is a worldwide issue:
Tom Golden (Maryland Commission for Men’s Health; author of 'Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing') has worked with traumatised men in the U.S. for over 25 years.
He writes: "Search the web for facts on homelessness and you will be hard pressed to find organizations who support the homeless making a big deal over the fact that most of their clients are male. "
He continues: "No one wants to focus on the pain of men. No one wants to focus on the pain of men. People just don’t want to see it."
6. FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND RAPE
There have been number of cases of men being subjected to false allegations, or the threat of false allegations, of child abuse and of rape; and with no consequences for the accuser. For the victims, such false allegations can result in criminalisation, the loss of contact with their children, and the life-long destruction of their reputation.
WE ASK:
1) As a candidate, do you agree that the issues outlined are deserving of urgent attention?
2) If elected, will you speak out publicly on these issues?
http://www.mensvoices2016.com
from
MENSVOICES2016
IRELAND: A COLD PLACE FOR MEN
There are many issues of inequality consistently excluded from the national equality conversation,
issues that concern the condition of men and boys.
Boys and men dropping out of home, education and life
This absence sends a loud and powerfully negative message to all citizens that the concerns of men and boys are not worthy of consideration. This, combined with the generally negative message on men and maleness throughout much of the media, contributes to a lowering of self-esteem amongst boys and men, leading to a host of social and psychological problems. Among these are: the tragedy of the hugely disproportionate rate of male suicide; boys and young men increasingly, and at all levels, failing in, or dropping out of education; the perturbingly low rate of reporting by male victims of domestic abuse (1 in three women report; only 1 in 20 men); and homelessness.
Among the many issues calling for immediate attention are:
1. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST MEN
Female victims remain almost exclusively the focus of attention and concern in any discussion and policy initiative to do with domestic violence: the suffering of the many male victims is consistently ignored or trivialised. The most glaring example of this is represented by our government’s signing of the Istanbul Convention, without having had any public pro/contra debate on its highly prejudiced content. The Convention has not yet been ratified, but should this occur it will have far-reaching and extremely adverse effects on men and boys. Using as its sole justification a now almost antique piece of 70’s feminist ideology, the Convention proposes a wide range of explicitly discriminatory measures prioritising female victims, and providing them with expansive ‘special’ privileges, protections and resources over and above those to be afforded to men.
2. SUICIDE
The male:female ratio of suicide is 4:1. This has been the case for decades. With the greatest urgency, and according it the highest priority, our government must initiate, and properly fund, an inquiry to identify and address the malaise which leads to such a high level of despair in our society’s male citizens that they choose to take their lives in such numbers. It may be convenient and comforting to identify the malaise as one of men’s own making - as some will insist (‘men just won’t share their feelings...’); this is uncompassionate, and it turns a blind eye to what are more fundamental attitudes and forces in our society.
3. BOYS FAILING IN EDUCATION
Boys are failing at first and second level education. And the number of boys entering Irish universities has now fallen to around 40 percent. Females predominate significantly in a majority of university subjects, including those (unlike STEM subjects) where a gender balance might be considered of more importance, such as law, medicine, education and social work.
4. FAMILY LAW INJUSTICES
The Irish family law system is deeply flawed and causing much hardship to ordinary citizens, especially men and children. The injustices suffered by men have their roots in structures, attitudes and legislation formulated without any account being taken of the needs and interests of men and fathers. In the vast majority of judicial separation cases, for example, it is the man who is removed from the family home and who has to endure unequal access to his children.
5. HOMELESSNESS
90 - 95% of those sleeping rough are men.
An estimated 70% of all homeless are men and boys. (Census 2011)
This is a gender issue.
If it were the other way around and it was 90% women who were sleeping on the streets...?
The truth is: it could never be the other way around. Our society simply would not allow it to occur.
This is an equality issue.
And it is a worldwide issue:
Tom Golden (Maryland Commission for Men’s Health; author of 'Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing') has worked with traumatised men in the U.S. for over 25 years.
He writes: "Search the web for facts on homelessness and you will be hard pressed to find organizations who support the homeless making a big deal over the fact that most of their clients are male. "
He continues: "No one wants to focus on the pain of men. No one wants to focus on the pain of men. People just don’t want to see it."
6. FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND RAPE
There have been number of cases of men being subjected to false allegations, or the threat of false allegations, of child abuse and of rape; and with no consequences for the accuser. For the victims, such false allegations can result in criminalisation, the loss of contact with their children, and the life-long destruction of their reputation.
WE ASK:
1) As a candidate, do you agree that the issues outlined are deserving of urgent attention?
2) If elected, will you speak out publicly on these issues?
http://www.mensvoices2016.com