LISTEN: Victim says media needs review of how it discusses rape
Niamh Ní Dhomhnaill also revealed that she unsuccessfully attempted to meet Mr Hook after he was widely criticised over his comments on her case in 2015.
In July 2015, Magnus Meyer Hustveit, previously of Leo St, North Circular Rd, Dublin pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault, between 2011 and 2012.
Hustveit was Ms Ní Dhomhnaill’s partner at the time, and raped her as she slept.
Discussing the case on Newstalk at the time, Mr Hook questioned whether consent was “implied” because Ms Ni Dhomhnaill was in a relationship with her rapist.
“So now you’re sharing a bed with somebody, yes?” Mr Hook said at the time. “And obviously sexual congress takes place on a regular basis because you’re living with somebody. Now is there not an implied consent, therefore that you consent to sexual congress?”
Speaking on the Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1, Ms Ní Dhomhnaill, who criticised Mr Hook at the time for the remarks, revealed that she attempted to meet the broadcaster to discuss the case.
“I tried and I was told yes he would meet me,” she said. “I initially had drafted a complaint to the BAI.
“Some time passed and nothing happened and I thought, ‘actually I’m just going to withdraw the complaint, because I don’t really know what that achieves and I know what really matters to me is that there can be a reasoned conversation and I think that is far more productive’.”
Ms Ní Dhomhnaill said she attempted to arrange a meeting through different individuals but, despite a few attempts, the meeting never took place.
“Any time I tried to arrange a day or time I got no response,” she said.
“I don’t know George Hook, so I can’t tell what is sincere for him and what’s not and I don’t know that it would have achieved anything but I think it would’ve been a good gesture, and I think maybe ideally we wouldn’t be sitting here today with what’s happened in the last week had we been able to speak and maybe even reached some kind of agreement, like a 5% agreement on something.”
Very overwhelmed with all the lovely msgs (&book Ray gifted me!) if you've been affected by the show please do call drcc 1800778888 pic.twitter.com/rkKYSBUQd1
— Niamh Ni Dhomhnaill (@Niamh_Ni_D) September 14, 2017
While Mr Hook has apologised for his recent comment on rape, some Newstalk employees have signed a letter to management seeking his removal. Ms Ní Dhomhnaill did not say whether she thought Mr Hook should be sacked.
“I don’t really have an opinion on it, because for me the issue isn’t George Hook, he is an individual,” she said. “I’m far more focused on the topic itself, and what it has brought up and what stirred in all of us in how we speak about sexual violence.
“I think we all have to figure out a way to talk about this in a better manner, and I think that that’s what the past week has shown.
“That the words and the kind of constructs that we have to speak about sexual violence just aren’t good enough and the media, I think, has the potential to construct a whole new narrative if it chooses but equally it’s on all of us, even within our own private conversations.”
The Rape Crisis Network’s 24-hour helpline: 1800 778888.
READ MORE: VIEWPOINTS: As a nation we need to talk about ... rape
