In this episode, Dara looks at the Natasha O’Brien case which saw a young woman beaten unconscious in the street by a young man who wasn’t known to her, and that same young man been given a suspended sentence so as not to jeopardise his career as an Irish soldier. There is nothing that isn’t problematic about these events, but as ever, there are larger social questions to be asked beyond the ugly specifics of the case in question.
Dara considers the messages that are sent by the outcome of the case. Why isn’t a higher price put on women’s suffering? Why are violent men rewarded by the courts with their careers being prioritised over their abhorrent, life-ruining behaviour? Is the law a male-centric instrument, designed to protect male interests? Is the average man in any way benefiting from this adjudication?
Dara argues that both men and women are done a huge disservice by the ruling. A victimised woman is cast aside by the law, and all men are implicated in a decision that normalises male violence by giving it a pass. It prompts the question – if you’re a man, do you care about women? Do you care about those who historically hold less power in society? Do you care about the assumption of male violence? How do you demonstrate that care?
Also covered in the episode – the relationship between fear and hate, the need for positive rites of passage, the importance of men doing deep work on themselves and more.