No Longer Silent: A New Year, A New Fight for Women
*** Trigger Warning
This article discusses topics related to sexual violence, domestic abuse, and systemic failures to protect women. It includes statistics and references to sensitive issues that may be distressing to some readers.
If you find these topics triggering, please consider whether you feel comfortable reading further. For those who need support, resources and helplines are available:
- Ireland: Call Women's Aid at 1800 341 900 (24/7)
- UK: Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at 0808 2000 247 (24/7)
- International: Visit Rape Crisis Network Europe to find services near you.
No Longer Silent: A New Year, A New Fight for Women
It was snowing in Ireland across the weekend. As I look out the window finishing this article off, all I can see is snow. The kind of snow that transforms everything—the fields, the trees, the narrow country roads—into something magical. There’s a beauty to it that’s hard to deny, even as the Christmas decorations come down and life starts to creep back to normal after the Christmas break.
I couldn't do much with all the snow Saturday night, so I sat in my upstairs apartment, fire burning, lights off, and looking at this magical snow falling. It was a moment... a moment for thinking, for being open and honest with myself, a moment for being present. No phone, just me with me.
I sat there for what seemed like forever (6+ hours I stayed there) thinking about Equitas. Thinking about everything... EVERYTHING! Thinking about who we are, what we stand for, what we have done, what we haven't done, what we could be better at and why those things, what we haven't delivered on, and what the future holds. Your mind can drift down these deeply reflective pathways when you don't pick up your phone, when you are just focused on one thing... and you honestly want to sit and think in peace for hours on end.
It was a deep way to start 2025 and something I will do more of. But that moment will be hard to recapture.
It was magic; it was real. It was needed. But then reality hit... and it hit hard the next day.
I woke up feeling good and refreshed (I’ve slept LOTS these last 10 days—I was very sick, and I think my body made me slow down). It was a good Christmas because it had to be quiet, and I appreciate that now a lot more... quiet time.
Now back to my morning...
To set the scene... as part of my morning routine, I have AI set up to tell me breaking news or relevant stories from Ireland, the UK, and around the world about women, not just equestrians. Stories come in about injustices, cases, articles, convictions, issues women face, or stories that might be relevant for us to examine.
One story was on RTÉ about Sexual Violence and another that was flooding my feedly feed was from X, from Elon Musk and the army of supporters across the UK who want real justice and transparency for grooming gangs and what those young girls went through and looks like, are still going through.
RTÉ published a piece titled "Classroom education is opportunity to fight 'epidemic' of sexual violence". Last year our Female Minister for Justice Helen McAntee openly stated that sexual violence is an epidemic in Ireland. Our government literally admitted we have an epidemic.
This is a quote from 2 years ago, from an article in 2022 on RTÉ - "The Government has approved a new €363m strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the plan, which includes tougher penalties and a doubling of refuge places, will take a 'zero tolerance' approach."
That was 2 years ago and now... here are some of the key aspects to the RTÉ piece from yesterday January 5th 2025.
Key Points and Core Issues:
- Escalating Prevalence: Recent data reveals that 40% of adults have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, with 30% of individuals aged 18-24 reporting such experiences as adults.
- Governmental Shortcomings: Reports indicate significant gaps in the State's zero-tolerance strategy towards gender-based violence, with survivors' needs often overlooked, resulting in challenges for women seeking support and justice.
- Cultural Influences: Research suggests that exposure to sexually violent content, particularly through pornography, is shaping sexual behaviors and attitudes, normalising harmful conduct among both adults and children.
Patterns Indicating Worsening Conditions:
- Increased Reporting: There has been a 9% rise in domestic abuse-related contacts to gardaí, indicating either a surge in incidents or greater willingness to report, both pointing to a deepening crisis.
- Youth Vulnerability: Younger demographics, particularly those aged 18-24, are experiencing higher rates of sexual violence, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current preventive measures.
Nearly 40% of adults have experienced it in some form, and for women, the reality is even bleaker. One in three women will experience non-consensual sexual intercourse in their lifetime. These aren’t just numbers; they’re lives. They’re stories of trauma, pain, and survival.
And yet, for all the statistics laid bare, the question persists: what are we doing to stop this? Because if we’re honest, the answer feels like very little, not enough, not fast enough or not strong enough.
It’s not just Ireland that’s failing. Across the Irish Sea, the rape gang scandal in the UK exposed another horrifying reality: what could be seen as systemic failures to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable. These are stories that should dominate the news cycle—stories so big they demand the world’s attention. But instead, there’s silence. Sky News and the BBC have given it a passing glance across the last 72hrs even though it was everywhere online.
Well that was until Sir Keir's speech this morning... partially blaming the far right and people like Musk and Politicians wanting to be relevant... he did higlight his record a DPP but again Elon Musk waded in today straight away after his speech, even with his 210million+ followers, his ruthless honesty for the last few days (his opinion)... the media remained cautious, maybe even quiet.
What are they afraid of? Why are they so reluctant to shine a light? Do women not deserve better?
I couldn’t shake the anger as I read through the comments yesterday morning with all that beautiful snow falling... 40 shades of green covered in a blanket of white as I sat there with the thoughts from the night before about Equitas running through my head. As I read the threads, the articles, the comments from women, from survivors. I wanted to sit with my thoughts and feelings....
It got me thinking of the first call about Equitas... that first call about change... the day my sister rang me... "do something for women" she said... she was only going for a run.
We are and we will.
Women deserve better. Young girls deserve better. Yet here we are, starting another year with an eerie deafening silence. And if not silenece, the same excuses. And it’s not just about society’s preceived unwillingness to confront the scale of sexual violence—it’s about the spaces women inhabit every day, the industries they dominate.
Take our very own equine industry.... an industry where 73% of participants are women. It’s a sport shaped by talent, dedication, and passion. And yet, here in Ireland, what do we know about women and young girls safety? Very very little.
I have a question for everyone reading this... so YOU!! Are there any reliable statistics to tell us how many women in the equine industry have faced sexual violence, sexual assault or domestic abuse.
If not, why not? Think about that. Honestly, think about it. It is shameful. If you're in the industry... I repeat, this is shameful.
It’s not because the problem isn’t there. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) revealed damning statistics in 2024: 26% of reports involve sexual misconduct, and 41% of those are assault or rape. These numbers should send shockwaves through every equestrian federation, every industry body. Instead, in Ireland, there’s silence.
We should have the numbers, women deserve to have the numbers, young girls deserve to have the numbers, the industry needs to have the numbers.
So why don’t we have the numbers? It’s not 1990—we live in a connected world. Data can be gathered anonymously. Patterns can be mapped, stories can be told, and voices can be heard. The tools are there, but the will to use them seems to be missing. What are we afraid of? The size of the problem? the optics?
BUT each number is a real person...
This isn’t just an oversight; it’s a failure. And it doesn’t stop at the lack of statistics. Look at the leadership in equestrianism. For an industry made up of mostly women, so many of the decision-makers are men. How can those who hold the power claim to understand, let alone solve, the issues women face? This imbalance isn’t just unfair—it’s dangerous.
And where is the media in all this? Where are the investigative reports, the in-depth stories that refuse to let us turn away? Stories like these shouldn’t have to rely on viral outrage to gain attention. The media has a responsibility to confront these truths, no matter how uncomfortable they are.
In 2025 this will change and that is why I am writing this... to put it public... to hold me and us accountable.
If no one else will gather the statistics for women in the equine industry here at home and across the world, then we will. If no one else will demand better, then we must. The data can—and must—be collected. If we’re serious about protecting women and girls in the equine industry and beyond, we need to stop hiding behind excuses. Because if we don’t have the stats, it’s because we’ve chosen not to look for them. Truly look for them... not just search online.
To solve a problem, we must first admit we have one. Yet time and again, organisations and representative bodies seem more interested in denial than in action. Perhaps it’s fear. Fear of what the numbers might reveal. Fear of the changes those numbers will demand. But fear is no excuse when lives are at stake. Change is needed.
The numbers in society are getting worse. We’d be fools to think the equine industry is immune. It could be said... we've all heard stories... it could be said... we've all been told "secrets" and to some of the women reading this, you carry those "secrets" and that pain with you. An emptiness, a scar, a wound.... it's bandaid after bandaid... it is trying to get back to "the you before".
We have a problem. We need to understand the size of it. Then we need to fix it.
Women who make up the backbone of the industry deserve better — support, safety, protection and when and where needed.... accountability.
At Equitas, we’re not here to point fingers and walk away—we’re here to be part of the solution. We believe in working constructively with organisations, representative bodies, and individuals across the equine industry to address the glaring lack of data.
Together, we can gather the statistics, map the patterns, and truly understand the scale of the problem—nationally and internationally. Once we have those numbers, we need the courage to act: to implement the changes that will protect women and young girls, ensure their voices are heard, and create an industry that finally reflects the safety, support, and accountability they deserve.
Because the truth is, the snow will melt soon here at home. And when it does, what’s beneath will still be there, waiting for us to confront it.
Until Next Time,
Shane
