Texts & Emails Monday 7 Dec, 2009
Panellists: Fiona Neary of the Rape Crisis Network, Conor Hanley, author of a book on rape and a lecturer in Law in NUIG, Detective Inspector Nigel Oliver from the Crystal Unit of Hampshire police, and Fergus Hogan a social care lecturer at Waterford Institute of Technology
Watch the programme here. Here is a selection of texts and emails received by the programme ---
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Please ask ur panel what they'd think of a register of peoples' income and tax paid for openness, fairness and transparency.
Phil Smith, Cork.
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Last week we had no water in our home in cork due to floods i have bad arthritis and could not go to the water stations it was the guards who brought me water I didn’t see any td at my door.
Catherine Daly, Cork.
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We are going to have a total breakdown in law and order in this country. It’s due to the way the leaders of this country are running it. This country cannot continue to be run the way it was run in the past. Any garda earning 1200 a week or 800 a week of a pension or more doesn’t need to go on strike.
Mike, Galway.
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Go the boys in blue, and the rest of us should stand behind them this government need to get a grip on reality
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My daughter was raped and our first port of call was the gardai who really hadn't a clue how to handle the complaint, there was no support in our area for rape crisis either. I complained to our local td about the situation my daughter was in and to express my fears for a conviction based on our initial contact with the gardai and regarding the handling of statements, after nearly 2 years waiting. The dpp said there was no case, my daughter is still in counselling on her own with having received no justice for being raped and living with the thoughts and fears that no one believed her and that the 2 men who raped her are left on the streets to rape again!
Fiona.
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As appalling a crime as rape is, there should also be appropriate custodial sentences for those who make false and malicious allegations of rape as the social stigma of being charged with such an offence does not abate simply because a prosecution collapses or the defendant is acquitted.
Barry Sheehan.
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My friend was involved in an incest case, the gardai had numerous statements from victims and believed them true, the man got a minute sentence purely because most of the evidence was deemed inadmissible, the gardai did as much as they possibly could and should be commended, it’s the law that needs to be changed to help and not hinder the gardai to do their jobs.
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I was accused of rape five years ago by an ex-house mate, went through hell and back, lost my friends and business just to find that she made a false rape allegation towards me because I refused to have a relationship with her.
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I was raped by a stranger in 1996 and It’s a struggle to this day. I went through the legal system and the central criminal court but he walked as free as I did after two days trial. I regret from bottom of my heart reporting it and with hindsight sorry I did as I was left feeling guilty! No justice in this country at all for women!
Eileen.
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Is it not hypocritical to have prayers at beginning of every dail session especially in light of child sex abuse scandal.
David, Wicklow.
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Northern Ireland is coming out of recession or so we are told. we are also told that d reason 4this is that we here in d republic give so much 2her majesty’s coffers is there a lesson here 4our brians do u think. a child could tell them that taking more and more money off us means we will spend less and that they need people 2spend again 2keep businesses going and 2keep jobs. have they any brains at all.
Margaret
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