Ms Maria Joyce:

It goes beyond confidence for some groups of women. We cannot take away some of the negativity that is experienced by some groups of women, including Traveller women, when it comes to the media. If someone has constantly been on the receiving end of that, it does make it more difficult to try to engage in those spaces. At times we come in, and it is at the point where we have to defend ourselves, as opposed to being invited in to speak about wider issues that impact on us, not just as Traveller women, but as women in Irish society. That is very important.

The final point I will add to that whole piece is the online media and hatred and licence to just put anything in there. Even if we look at positive articles that are written in the print media, the amount of commentary in response that is derogatory, negative and racist is unbelievable. The online backlash into personal lives is a very significant issue as well.