Holier than thou Jeffrey Donaldson a bastion of Northern Irelands Unionist establishment, leader of the DUP and Westminster MP for Lagan Valley has been charged with ‘historical sexual offences and his wife has been charged with related offences in what seems to be confined to a seamy family affair. But is it? Is it not just a chink in a well-hidden scourge that is rampant on the Island of Ireland? Kincora is still fresh in our memories and its closure merely closed down a premises.
See no Evil
Police and legal experts have warned that identifying sex abuse victims can lead to fines and even prison which is correct. Since victims have been mentioned in the plural there are rampant rumours about their numbers and their identities. Warnings about identifying the victims does not stop the rumour mill. On top of that Donaldson has many enemies both within and outside of the DUP who are chopping at their bits to kick him when he is down. He is not the only perpetrator by a long shot. The investigation should be looking far beyond Donaldson and the identified victims. He is not the only alleged perpetrator and the victims in question are not the only victims. He is but one accused of what is a rampant disease in high places both north and south of the border. While the establishment choose to ‘see no evil’ for their own protection, that does not mean it is not rampant.
Notices about the risk of jail have failed to stop rampant speculation and online gossip after Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s charge of multiple historical sex offences, including rape were made public. The Lagan Valley MP resigned as leader of the DUP and his wife Eleanor was also charged with aiding and abetting ‘additional offences’ in relation to the police investigation. If justice is to be served many others should be quaking in their shoes as well.
Hear no Evil
Northern Ireland’s Attorney General Brenda King’s office said: “The Attorney advises the public as well as media outlets to think about potential consequences before publishing, posting or sharing commentary, online or otherwise.
“The Attorney would remind the public and the media of the risk of any person publishing, posting or sharing material being found to be in contempt of court.”
Complainants in sexual abuse cases, historical or otherwise, are granted lifelong anonymity, that stands regardless of the outcome of criminal proceedings. This anonymity is guaranteed from the moment they make an allegation that they are the victim of a sexual offence unless the victims choose to go public which is rare. The victims remain victims and will continue to remain victims while the population choose to ‘hear no evil’.
Speak no Evil
The chances of their being only one or two victims is most unlikely as the word of just one victim can easily be challenged. However, when there are two or more corroborating each other’s statements in a credible manner the police and the authorities are in a good position to prefer charges.
A similar case to that of the Donaldson’s charges of historical sex and rape offences in this jurisdiction is going nowhere because only one victim has come forth with no one to back up her complaints or provide corroborative evidence. While the Gardaí have provided the complainant with a Pulse Number they are unable or unwilling to pursue the matter as it involves a former government minister in the Munster area. While so many victims ‘speak no evil’ out of genuine fear they will remain unheard by a population that doesn’t want to listen.
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
The Donaldson case is not an isolated incident by any means and maybe it will help to shake things up and encourage other victims to come forth as they are also entitled to justice. As well as that their silence is allowing the perpetrators to remain at large to offend again and again. There are many offenders holding high office in both this and neighbouring jurisdiction’s and it is not good enough that they be exposed only following their deaths such as in the cases of British Prime Minister Edward Heath, Cyril Smith MP and Jimmy Saville. How many more ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ like the Heaths, Smith’s and Saville’s are walking amongst us in Ireland defiling the very ground they walk on.
The Cry of the Innocents
While Priests and church offenders have finally been pursued with vigour, the same cannot be said about those in high places and public office in Ireland. The smoke of rumour is running rife at the moment, and its whispers cannot be without fire.
Only when victims come forth in numbers will they get justice and only then will the perpetrators will be stopped from committing further most heinous offences and receive the full rigours of the law. There is a rampant and widespread disease of paedophilia and sexual abuse abroad in Ireland with sanctimonious perpetrators in high positions in politics, the judiciary, law enforcement and other areas of authority and power. The ‘cry of the innocents’ must be heard.
Justice for the Innocents
Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous Black Book has more than one counterpart in Ireland as the social disease of sexual abuse of minors by the rich and powerful is as rampant here as anyplace else. Only when we admit it, talk openly about it and expose it can we start to clean up corruption in high places for sexual exploitation is the fuel on which corruption flourishes.
Let us hope that the first tottering Donaldson domino is only the beginning of the fall of the rest. It’s time for victims to speak out, take back their power, seek justice and start to heal. Without them to expose what is going on this disease will only spread and become a most abominable pandemic of abuse. It must be stopped now. We must make it possible to support victims who come forth for only then will there be ‘justice for the innocents’.