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Sportswomen Rape Crisis Midwest - Eight inspiring ladies will speak at four 'Women in Sport' events including three-time Guinness World Record holder in ice and open-water swimming Jaimie Monahan, pictured above. Sportswomen Rape Crisis Midwest - Eight inspiring ladies will speak at four 'Women in Sport' events including three-time Guinness World Record holder in ice and open-water swimming Jaimie Monahan, pictured above.

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Inspiring sportswomen will host talks in aid of Rape Crisis Midwest

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Sportswomen Rape Crisis Midwest – Eight inspiring ladies will speak at four ‘Women in Sport’ events including three-time Guinness World Record holder in ice and open-water swimming Jaimie Monahan, pictured above.

Inspiring sportswomen will host talks in aid of Rape Crisis Midwest

By I Love Limerick correspondent Rachel Petticrew

Sportswomen Rape Crisis Midwest Speakers will discuss their sporting achievements, the benefits of exercise, as well as the challenges of working in male-dominated fields.

Speakers will discuss their sporting achievements, the benefits of exercise, as well as the challenges of working in male-dominated fields.


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Limerick charity Rape Crisis Midwest is holding a series of talks, entitled ‘Women in Sport’, to raise much-needed funds for the centre. The event will be held in association with Limerick Narwhals, Limerick Masters Swimming Club and irelandonwater.com.

Eight inspiring sportswomen will speak at four events. They will discuss their sporting achievements, the benefits of exercise, as well as the challenges of working in male-dominated fields. 

On Wednesday, November 24, ice swimmer Tiffany Quinn and endurance athlete and multi-sport swimmer Jacqueline McClelland will open the four-part series.

Firefighter and marathon swimmer, Rachael Lee, will join Limerick Narwhals’ Aisling Armshaw in the second leg of talks on Wednesday, December 8.

The third event will take place on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, featuring international rugby player and open-water swimmer Rosie Foley together with Irish Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee Fionnuala Walsh.

Finally, New York’s Jaimie Monahan, three-time Guinness World Record holder in ice and open-water swimming, will speak alongside Dr Jen Schumacher, Assistant Director of the Performance Psychology Programme for the Center for Enhanced Performance at West Point, the United States Military Academy on Wednesday, January 26.

All proceeds from this incredible event will go directly to Rape Crisis Midwest, who are currently experiencing a particularly high demand for services. So far in 2021, the support service has received 1,216 helpline calls and has arranged over 2,000 appointments in Limerick. 

“We are delighted the Limerick Narwhals approached Rape Crisis Midwest to get involved in this event. In order to end gender inequality, womens’ achievements need to be celebrated and spoken about as much as their male counterparts. Gender inequality and rape culture are both underpinned by strict gender stereotypes,” Ellen Mullins of Rape Crisis Midwest tells I Love Limerick.

“When we buy into ideas of masculinity that see physical strength, leadership and dominance as “inherently male”, we create barriers on what women can achieve, as well as a dangerous power dynamic where abusive men are absolved from their actions and men who have survived sexual violence are silenced by the shame of not being “man enough”. 

“Anything that can help break down strict gender stereotypes helps break down rape culture. Both the talks and our services are for people of all genders.”

Rape Crisis Midwest was founded in 1980 by a group of women and men concerned about the lack of services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse in Limerick. 

Since then, Rape Crisis Midwest has provided extensive information, professional support and a quality counselling service to survivors of sexual abuse and violence throughout the Midwest region. The non-profit centre currently has over 150 volunteers.

‘Women in Sport’ will take place on Zoom, with each event beginning at 7.30pm. Tickets cost just €10 and provide access to all four events. 

To purchase your ticket to the ‘Women in Sport’ fundraising event, go HERE 

For more stories on Rape Crisis Midwest, go HERE 

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.