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.