With characteristic hypocrisy and cynical opportunism, the far-right have pounced after the alleged sickening sexual assault on a 10-year-old girl in Citywest. A man from the Citywest IPAS centre has been charged with this assault. We send our solidarity to this girl, and we hope she gets all the help and care she needs to rebuild her life.
Sexual violence against women and girls is a social catastrophe. Socialists campaign for major changes to the capitalist ‘justice’ system that fails victims, including democratising the legal system with working class oversight and ending institutional bias. We call for free legal aid provision to all survivors.
To end abuse requires a social revolution and an end to the capitalist system which underpins the systems of patriarchy and sexism which fuel sexual violence. The change to everyday human relations that would occur after the transition to socialism would eradicate many of the causes of this social catastrophe.
As capitalism degenerates before our eyes the far-right are seizing on issues of violence against women and girls to stake out a political space. From this space they intend to overturn centuries of progress for women.
Last night at Citywest it looked like the forces of the state were losing control in the face of a violent far-right mob looking to mete out an indiscriminate and violent ‘rough justice’ against refugees in Citywest. The corrupt and cynical far-right influencers and politicians who have descended on Citywest have absolutely zero interest in creating a safer world for women and girls.
We condemn unequivocally the sickening attack on the young girl at Citywest. Child protection services should be properly funded and staffed. There must an immediate stop put to the outsourcing and privatisation of highly sensitive care for vulnerable children. This is not an area where private capital should be allowed to cut corners and staffing levels in search of higher profits.
We also demand an immediate end to the privatisation of refugee accommodation. Where the state is funneling billions in public funds into the pockets of hoteliers and property developers. Purpose built refugee accommodation facilities must be built with that money where international protection applicants can be housed while claims are processed. This should be done alongside a massive state funded programme of public housing to build the high quality and affordable homes that are key to ending the housing crisis for all.
The far right and a section of the capitalist establishment share a common goal. To impose the chaos of the racist mob in alliance with the chaos of the unfettered market as it relentlessly searches for profit. The capitalist establishment in Ireland has, for decades, steadfastly refused to properly fund refuges for women fleeing violence but it has no problem paying well over the odds for unsuitable refugee accommodation. This has to end.
Another bout of far-right rioting will solve nothing. A united movement of working call communities, trade unions and anti-racist activists must face them down with counter protests. If we unite, we can defeat the far right and their establishment allies and at the same time build a better life for all.
Fight for:
- Fully funded and staffed public child protection services. Give TUSLA the resources it needs to protect children
- Properly funded refuges for women and children fleeing domestic violence
- Fully funded, free at the point of use, public health services
- A massive house building programme to eliminate housing insecurity and homelessness
- A decent standard of living for all working-class people.
- Purpose built, not-for-profit, refugee accommodation.