A recent study by the European Commission has explored views of gender-based violence across the European Union, revealing significant differences between member states. Ireland’s gender-based violence attitudes are perplexing as they uncover a shocking prevalence of harmful antediluvian views about violence against women and girls.
Deep-Rooted Misconceptions About Sexual Assault
According to the Irish Examiner, 13% of Irish respondents hold the barbaric view that women who are sexually assaulted while under the influence of alcohol or drugs share some blame for the offender’s decision to attack them. This rate is below the troubling EU average of 16% and places Ireland as having the joint seventh-lowest rate among the 27 member states. Attitudes across the EU vary dramatically, from disappointing 8% in Sweden to a knuckle-dragging 46% in Latvia.
Ireland’s High Rates of False Accusation Beliefs
One in five unenlightened Irish respondents (20%) believe that women often exaggerate or fabricate claims of abuse or rape. This number is higher than the EU average of 17%. Furthermore, a disconcerting 4% of Irish respondents endorse the notion that rape within an intimate relationship is acceptable, a perspective that is widely repudiated both domestically and internationally.
Notably, 9% of Irish respondents have the misguided belief that when a woman says “no” to a sexual proposal, she might actually mean “yes” and is merely playing “hard to get.”
Ireland’s Tolerance of Casual Sexism
The study suggests that a troubling segment of the Irish population appears to lack basic empathy and understanding of gender-based violence:
- Domestic Violence: 8% of Irish people think it is acceptable for a man to occasionally slap his wife or girlfriend, making Ireland the sixth-highest in the EU for this belief.
- Workplace Harassment: 15% of Irish respondents see suggestive comments about a female colleague’s appearance as acceptable.
- Street Harassment: 18% approve of catcalling, ogling, or whistling at women.
In advertising, 28% of Irish people accept the use of images that sexualize women—a figure in line with EU norms but indicative of broader societal challenges.
High Rates of Victim Blaming in Online Harassment Cases
A concerning one-third (32%) of Irish respondents believe that if a woman shares intimate images and they are later shared online without consent, she bears at least partial responsibility. While this rate is one of the lowest in the EU, it remains troubling. Furthermore, 18% of Irish respondents believe that women should expect to encounter sexist and abusive responses when expressing opinions online, a rate that is marginally lower than the EU average.
Progress on Coercive Control
In one area, Ireland leads the EU in rejecting coercive control within relationships. A significant 77% of Irish respondents found it unacceptable for a man to control his partner’s finances, the highest rejection rate in the EU, where the average is 63%. Additionally, only 11% of Irish people considered it acceptable for a man to monitor his partner’s activities or restrict her social interactions, compared to an EU average of 20%.
Final Thoughts
The European Commission stressed that these findings underscore the ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality and stopping gender-based violence. “These issues affect societal norms, behaviours, and attitudes, frequently resulting in discrimination, victimization, and marginalization of women,” the Commission stated.
While Ireland demonstrates strong opposition to certain forms of gender-based violence, the data also shows the need for continued education and advocacy to address harmful stereotypes and attitudes. Progress, while evident in some areas, remains uneven and incomplete.
In the end, the survey reflects the broader struggle within the EU to challenge entrenched norms and advance human rights and gender equality. The findings for Ireland underscore the urgent need for continued efforts to address harmful attitudes and behaviors towards women and girls.
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