Bernard Durkan stands by morning after pill for rape victims comment
Fine Gael TD Bernard Durkan has defended his comments on the morning after pill which he made last week.
The TD faced criticism for his remark, which was made at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee discussing the Eighth Amendment.
Bernard Durkan comments on rape reveal breathtaking levels of ignorance #8Committee
— Sinéad Kennedy (@SineadmKennedy) September 20, 2017
When discussing the morning after pill, Mr Durkan said:
'With regard to rape and incest, presumably rape is reported on the day or the day after and there is particular treatment fairly readily available.'
This led to mass criticism, as many people felt that Mr Durkan was uneducated on the topic of sexual assault, as victims often feel unable to come forward straight away (or ever) to report being raped for various reasons.
Is Bernard Durkan imagining a world in which rape victims immediately go to the guards and receive abortions the next day??? #8committee
— Mairead Enright (@maireadenright) September 20, 2017
According to The Irish Independent, Mr Durkan last night stood by his remarks.
'He said he knows that many rape victims don't report their experience immediately and insisted he wasn't suggesting the morning-after pill was the solution,' according to The Irish Independent.
He reportedly said that it was his job as a committee member to ask questions that he felt the public may not know, and that this comment was not reflective of his own thoughts on the matter.
