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PB April 2023 April 2023 37April 2023 37
POLITICS
Because it’s not just
rape that qualifies
to be recognised as
sexual violence. As
Dola Twomey says
“language matters
M
ary Crilly and Dola Twomey
knew their door had to be
opened to the survivors of
all forms of sexual violence.
Their centre marks 40 years
in operation this year. In 2004 they
changed the title ‘Cork Rape Crisis Centre’
over their door to ‘Cork Sexual Violence
Centre’.
Because it’s not just rape that qualifies
to be recognised as sexual violence. As
Dola Twomey says “language matters”.
Sexual assault, child sexual abuse,
online sexual abuse, sexual harassment,
stalking, sex tracking, FGM, forced
By Vanessa Foran
marriage and domestic violence.
Rape, for all our awareness, wokeness
and definition expansions, is still seen as
something a woman fails to prevent, and
not what the rapist elects to do.
Crilly and Twomey host Stalking in
Ireland, the Ask Consent campaign, Safe
Gigs Ireland and Cork Against Human
Trafficking (CAHT). They and their
colleagues are a lot more than a crisis
centre.
Inspired by similar endeavours in the UK
and Australia, they are now curating
FixedIT which tells the truth in the
headlines about sexual violence.
Their message, all over this page,
speaks for itself.
In cases of sexual violence, language matters
Fixed it
Dola Twomey
