By 
A NEW community conversation aimed at tackling the root societal issues behind violence against women and girls is being developed in Omagh.
The initiative follows several recent awareness events, including last week’s walk organised by the Inner Wheel Club of Omagh, which highlighted the urgent need to end violence against women.
One of those involved in the walk was Mary Magee from Omagh, a retired physcologist. She is anxious to promote the initiative and begin a conversation about issues which she says, could have important benefits for all of society, but especially women and girls.
“I have worked for a very long time with Women’s Aid and through my work with victims and survivors of domestic abuse,” she said.
“Recently, I have been involved in restorative practices and after attending the recent meeting in the Silverbirch Hotel on the issue of violence against women and girls, I thought about what I could do as a woman who is very passionate in any effort to stop violence against anyone.
“We are putting immense concentration on the perpetrators of violence against women and girls. But maybe we need to be talking to some girls and young women and reminding them of their value, building their confidence and empowering them and starting conversations.
“It is important to be very clear that a victim is never to blame for abuse. Society needs to start saying to young girls and women to believe in themselves.”
She added that if those issues were begun to be addressed, then there may also be a chance to begin empowering women to ‘walk away’ from abusive situations.
“Victims are very often caught and it is hard to break from the abuse cycle,” she added.
“Let’s set the marker by having conversations about issues, including getting a stronger voice saying that social media is not allowed in schools, because it is knocking their confidence and catching them in a trap of finding other ways to be seen and heard.”
