Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Rape is a most terrible crime and appalling violation of a person. It is even more horrifying when the person raped is a child. The consequences of rape can continue for many years, as there is no finite date by which a rape victim can declare they are over it. I am conscious that others who have been raped, who may be in recovery and who are listening to this debate are having their wounds re-opened by it.

One of the most poignant moments in Maíria Cahill's writing concerned the silence. She wrote: "Sexual abuse thrives on secrecy. Silence protests the perpetrators." That is what happened in her case and many others. Those who have been raped have been afraid to speak out. They have been afraid that they will not be believed. They have been afraid that they could be seen to have been asking for it, as it is called, that is, they provoked the rape. This is why it is important to acknowledge the bravery of Maíria and those who speak out and lift the cloak of silence.

The Rape Crisis Centre has revealed that, in 2013, 1% of men and 8% of women who were raped or sexually assaulted reported it to the Garda. Some people who have reported rape and sexual assault were neither raped nor assaulted. This is most unfortunate, but it should never take from the need to report all sexual abuse and violence. Any person of any age, male or female, must feel secure enough to speak out and report rape in the confidence that he or she will be taken seriously, the matter will be investigated appropriately by the proper authorities, there will be adequate supports, due process will be followed and justice will be done. There can be no protection of those who rape.

As the Catholic Church had to face its demons, so too must the republican movement. The commission of investigation into the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin found its preoccupations until the mid-1990s were "the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets". Does this apply to the provisional movement also? There has to be an independent investigation or commission into its role, just in the same way the Catholic Church was investigated, in the interests of justice for those who were raped and assaulted and to ensure that the good people in the church and the republican movement are not tainted by the actions of a few people.

The republican movement must answer these questions, but so must the policing authorities in the North and its justice system. Someone who was assaulted and raped was not confident enough of bringing that assault to them because they were sectarian, biased or whatever other reason was used. It was in that context that the kangaroo courts appeared. These so-called courts are not the way to deal with rape and sexual assault regardless of what we are told about the circumstances in the North that led to them being established.

Maíria Cahill's story makes for very grim reading. The way her rape was considered and dealt with went against all of the procedures that would be considered appropriate. She had to face her rapist and the rape was investigated by those with no skills or training in dealing with rape situations. People basically took the law into their own hands and did what the Catholic Church had been condemned for doing, including moving the perpetrator around. This latter procedure meant that other individuals and communities were at risk. How many young and older people listening now were raped or assaulted by a person or persons who had already raped and assaulted and, instead of being brought to justice, were simply moved to another place? The condemnation of the church for doing this has to be applied to any other group or organisation that did likewise. The procedure of moving the perpetrator meant there was a risk of re-offending, given what we know of the recidivist nature of abuse, especially child abuse. It deprived the person raped or assaulted of justice and the perpetrator of being assigned to a programme or counselling to confront the abuse that he or she had been committing. What happened to Maíria Cahill and others in the North was appalling. It was made even more so by the way it was handled and by the fact that perpetrators were given space and opportunity to offend again.

One of the poems that Yeats wrote in his later life referred to a story that Maud Gonne told him about something that "changed [her] childish day to tragedy". There is no doubt that Maíria Cahill's childish days were turned to tragedy, as indeed were the days of anyone else who was raped. Rape changes everything for the person raped. It affects many aspects of the person's life and deprives people of much that they should be able to enjoy. It has led to commitment and relationship difficulties, addiction and even suicide. It affects their loved ones, the people who are trying to support them. Whatever relief or release for them is gained by bringing the perpetrators to justice has been denied in this instance. We cannot allow rapists to go free to rape again. Today is about those involved taking real responsibility for and facing up to their actions.

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