Violence in society - Are we ready to confront real issues?

WE ONCE believed violence was the last resort of someone unable to convey their wishes in an ordinary, acceptable way.

However, three decades of violence in the north, followed by drug-war savagery, have forced us to acknowledge that violence is no longer a last resort. It has become an everyday tool for criminals and a worry for nearly everyone out for a night on the town.

To our great shame, the vast majority of rape cases remain unreported because victims do not believe they will get the support they deserve. It is well past the time that this sorry situation was confronted. This ironic omerta can only add to the victim’s isolation and make them feel doubly betrayed; once by their attacker and later by the state they imagined would protect them.

Yesterday the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs, on behalf of the Catholic bishops, launched a comprehensive report on violence in our society.

It underlined again what we all know: alcohol plays a significant, negative role; not all deaths are regarded equally; violent computer games make violence more commonplace and the great strains on family life can lead to violence. The report does not paint a pretty picture of how we manage our lives, our family and social relationships.

Among the chief recommendations was a call for a “summit of community leaders” to confront the causes.

Identifying them is not too difficult. We see them every day. The question is: are we prepared to do anything about them causes?

Are we prepared to confront alcohol abuse — and the deep, dark reasons behind it — in a real way? Are we prepared to control violent computer games and films? Are we prepared, as the report urges, to insist on work practices that are more family-friendly?

The evidence is that we will do very little and just hope that the problem goes away as it, in fact, deteriorates. However, are we prepared to face the consequences of this inaction?

There is a ray of hope in this dispiriting report. In it the Catholic Church again acknowledges the awful violence visited on children by a minority of clerics.

A direct quote: “The maiming of young life in and through the sexual abuse... has no equal in the baleful catalogue of violent crime... it is difficult to accept, or even comprehend, the culture of silence that surrounded such abuse... within the Church and within society.”

Coming from an organisation that was in denial about this evil abuse, an organisation that colluded with paedophiles to protect itself, this is a profound change.

The Catholic Church has shown that is prepared to change to try to make sure there is not a recurrence of that dreadful violence. If an organisation as conservative as it can change fundamentally to confront violence why can’t the rest of society?