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SEXUAL HARASSMENT, PREJUDICE AND
RACISM |
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For women Ireland is wonderfully relaxing: the outlandish sexism of
Irish society manifests itself in a male courtesy that can range from
the genuine and delightful to the downright insufferable, but you are
unlikely to experience any really threatening behaviour. Most
uncomfortable situations can be defused by a straightforward, firm
response. That said, don't believe the general view that nothing can
happen to you. It is worth remembering that outside the cities,
communities are very small, and local women you see hitching alone do so
in safety because they know and are known by just about everybody on the
road. Foreign travellers don't have that added security, and, though it
is very unlikely, you could be unlucky. In particular, if you are
travelling alone use only the budget accommodation that is listed in
this guide or recommended by the tourist office, don't go with touts at
stations, and exercise the kind of care in cities at night that you
would in any other European country. In the case of serious assault, if
possible contact a Rape Crisis Centre before going to the police (telephone
numbers are given in listings). Attacks are rare and the Garda, though
well-meaning, have little experience of handling distressed women.
Black travellers to Ireland should not encounter any major problems
while travelling around the country. That said, one of the most
surprising aspects for many visitors is how homogeneous and socially
conservative Irish society actually is: the main type of racism that may
be encountered is a fairly innocuous type of naive ignorance that you
might find in rural Ireland where locals are simply not used to seeing
black people.
Although they should have little impact on a visitor to the city, it is
worth being aware of racial tensions in some areas of inner-city Dublin.
A more malicious type of racial intolerance is currently being directed
toward increasing numbers of refugees living in inner-city areas. Due to
governmental mismanagement, most migrants are obliged to wait for up to
two years for a decision on residency, and during this period they are
not permitted to work. The resulting development of small, impoverished
ghettos of the socially dependent in these areas has led to some
resentment, and unfortunately increased verbal, and, in some cases,
physical racial abuse.
The gay community is both the biggest and least visible minority in
Ireland. Although part of the UK, Northern Ireland was excluded from the
1967 Act that legalized homosexuality for consenting adults in Britain.
This led one individual to take his case to the European Court of Human
Rights in 1982, which brought the legal status of gays in Northern
Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. In the Republic,
homosexuality has only been legal since 1990, and a nominally
wide-ranging Incitement Against Hatred Act was passed in 1994
specifically prohibiting discrimination against people on the grounds of
sexual orientation as well as race. However, public indecency charges
are still pursued - such as surveillance and arrest of gays cruising
Dublin's Phoenix Park, and censorship laws are used to exclude gay
material. Outside the big cities homosexuality is not at all socially
accepted, and public displays of affection are out of the question.
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