'Mary Lou pits abuse victims against each other' - Mairia

MAIRIA Cahill has accused Mary Lou McDonald of trying to "pit" victims of child sexual abuse against each other, by complaining that her allegations of rape overshadowed the suffering of her abuser's other victims.

The Sinn Fein deputy president said yesterday said she was uncomfortable at how Mairia's case had been "seized on" by politicians, and that "very little consideration" had been given to the other victims of her "alleged rapist".

But Mairia Cahill responded angrily to Ms McDonald's remarks and urged her to "go on a training course. "For Mary Lou McDonald to try pit any victim of abuse against another is completely reprehensible and she should hang her head in shame," she said. "It is quite clear she doesn't get the issue and I hope it never darkens her door."

Two more victims of Mairia Cahill's rapist broke their silence yesterday, saying that they had also been failed by the criminal justice system.

In a statement issued through their solicitor to the Irish News, the women accused Martin Morris of raping them over three years, from the ages of 13 and 14.

The women, who are from Belfast, said they reported the abuse to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2010.

Morris was charged with the abuse and also with a separate charge relating to IRA membership.

In their statement, the women said they "lost all faith and trust in the criminal justice system" when they were told the abuse case had been "adjourned indefinitely" to facilitate the IRA membership trial.

They said their only interest was in "prosecuting our abuser and we would have absolutely no involvement in any other emanating proceedings", including allegations of IRA membership.

Both women later pulled out of the sexual abuse case because it had been "transformed into a politically charged matter".

Morris was acquitted of IRA membership and abuse.

Four others accused of arranging an internal IRA investigation of the abuse were also acquitted.

Northern Ireland's Public Prosecutions Service has commissioned an independent review of the prosecutions.

Yesterday, Mary Lou McDonald noted the review of Mairia's case, saying "is entirely as it should be".

Speaking at an anti-water charges protest in Dublin, she said that "as a woman and as a mother and as a human being, I have been really, really uncomfortable and really, really alarmed to see a case such as this seized on in this manner.

"Bear in mind also, in the specific case and allegations made against the alleged rapist of Mairia Cahill, there are other complainants, other victims of that alleged rapist and I think there was very little consideration given to them."

Ms McDonald said her "phone was very busy with people contacting me who have been victims of sexual violence and abuse - many of them very upset and very angry because they don't like politics being played with this issue."

Mairia Cahill responded last night, accusing Ms McDonald and Sinn Fein of treating her "shamefully".

"As a woman and a mother you would think that Mary Lou would have an ounce of human decency in the way in which she treats any abuse victims... Mary Lou and her party have shamefully treated me when all I was doing was telling my experience.

"Those victims need help and Sinn Fein are repeatedly causing trauma with its denial of this issue."

She added: "If the IRA hadn't involved themselves in investigating our cases of abuse, we would have achieved justice for what happened to us."

Sunday Independent