Official Right of Place/SC Press Release on Magdalen Laundry Report
Official Press Release –
Right of Place Second Chance Response to Magdalene Laundry Report (as reported on RTÉ)
Right of Place Second Chance, an organisation that supports Survivors of Industrial School Abuse wish to express our disappointment at the Report published today. We stand firmly behind clients of ours who spent time in Magdalene Laundries and support the demands for a full apology and compensation for the Magdalene Survivors.
We believe the Report did not go far enough and the comparison between those who suffered in Industrial Schools was unfair to both Groups. This is a fundamental flaw as comparisons between personal suffering experienced by both groups is disrespectful to Magdalene Survivors and Re-traumatising to Survivors of Institutional Abuse.
This reflects poorly on the understanding of an on-going need for support for the most vulnerable Survivors in society.
We also wish to highlight the near 25% of Magdalene Women who were “Institutionalised” prior to their incarceration in Laundries, The state must remember their long term responsibility to both Magdalene Survivors and Survivors of Industrial Institutional Abuse.
We call on the Government to implement a programme that will support Survivors in Health, Welfare and Care for the remainder of their lives.
Michael Walsh,
National Chairperson,
Right of Place Second Chance
END
We want to remind Survivors of Institutional abuse that we are cognisant of the possibility this report has to re-ignite feelings within our clients and those who access our services. We want to ensure you that our offices and usual supports will be available tomorrow by calling or dropping into any of your local offices for support and information.
All at Right of Place Second Chance want to recognise the dedicated work of those who spoke and represented Survivors of Magdalen Laundries, many of whom we have met over the last 18 months and to encourage their ongoing work for long term supports for Survivors.
Supplementary to this, as advised we will be developing our strategy to present to the Government for long term supports to Survivors of Institutional Abuse and want to advise that at all steps in the process Survivor information, advise and encouragement will be included and requested.
It is important at this difficult time, should you need any support to contact us and our details for our regional offices are located by clicking here.(opens in a new window)
What is wrong with this State they don’t even have the decency to offer an apology to the Magdalene Women, shame on you Enda Kenny and co.
Well said Val. The women of these laundries deserve the utmost care and attention from the state, which first begins with an apology. Well done to JFM for being at the forefront of the Magdalene cause !
Couldn’t agree more Val and AnnMarie.
Whilst I appreciate the complexities of the Report, the understanding is of a terrible wrong and injustice carried out on these women. The Committee was establish to look at the states involvement in the incarceration and forced slave labour.
Once this was found to be true, in any way, how then can a full and unambiguous apology not be given? It baffles me. We will see in a number of weeks when the Dail Debates begin on the Report, but again this is insensitive to the brave women who were placed in Magdalen Laundries and those who worked tirelessly on their behalf, including JFM, Magdelene Survivors Together and The Irish Women Survivors Support Network.