It has been a tough week for Irish Women. Some of us were the victims of imaged based sexual abuse, some of us have sat broken hearted at the pain our sisters are going through, hoping with all our might that the victims of this abuse have the support they need & survive this (1)

This week has brought back a lot of horrific past traumas for Women & has given a lot of women the strength to use their voice and share their stories. The strength of the Irish sisterhood is like no other! It’s a unique and unbreakable bond, when one of us hurts, we all hurt (2)

But the silence from our male friends has been deafening. Some of the comrades we expect to be at our side no matter what have all but disappeared into the abyss. Perhaps wondering what the fuss is about, perhaps not realising just how much we need them in this fight (3)

I don’t think men realise how terrifying it is to be a woman. How we think through every encounter with a man, trying to minimise the risk to our safety & our wellbeing. I’ve been thinking over all the things I do to keep myself safe around men, both known to me & strangers (4)

I’ve rang friends from a taxi to say I’m on my way & what taxi firm I’m with when a taxi driver has asked me uncomfortable & personal questions. I’ve pretended to talk to a housemate in the kitchen when I’ve gone to open the door when I’ve been home alone (5)

I’ve crossed the street to avoid groups of boys and men, then endured the heckling and sometimes them following me down the street for a bit. I’ve had men sit next to me on the train and very much invade my personal space when almost the entire carriage was empty (6)

I’ve been on dates and at meetings where I’ve shared my location with friends who knew where I was going so I knew someone would know my whereabouts, and made friends do the same thing with me. I’ve set alarms on my phone so I could excuse myself & leave blaming a phone call (7)

I can recall 9 different occasions, 2 on the same night, where a man has tried to force himself on me in some way. I managed to find the physical & mental strength to push them off and leave. It shouldn’t be down to a woman’s strength whether her night ends in sexual assault (8)

The women of Ireland are angry, we are hurt! Of course this is directed at the men who have shared images, in this weeks leaks or other servers. Those who’ve shared images in WhatsApp groups, or even just passed their phones around in work or with their mates. (9)

But we’re also angry at the men who are silent on this. Or who excuse their mates behaviour by saying “that’s just how lads get on” etc. Or who laugh at the degrading jokes their friends tell. Or who sit back and bite their tongue when their friends are out of line! (10)

I’m tired. I’m broken. And I am absolutely sick of men not having our backs! I’m tired of searching through friends’ Twitter accounts hoping to see them having said something, and being bitterly disappointed time and time again. (11)

Ultimately women should lead in the fight for our rights, but we need the support of the men in our circles. We need you to speak out! Yes, against big stories like this week, but also when your pal says something inappropriate or degrading. Don’t be a bystander to our abuse (12)

This thread has gone on longer than I intended, but the hurt caused to so many of us this week & for so much longer needs to be addressed and called out!

If you need support contact @Womens_Aid on 1800341900 or @WomensAidNI on 08088021414

Reach out and know you aren’t alone!