McDonald’s in the UK and Ireland has vowed to launch an investigation in to claims that a former employee was subjected to “rape comments” and “rape songs” during the course of her work day after she was raped in Co Mayo in 2013.
Shane Noonan (28) of Castlehill Park, Turlough Road, Castlebar, Co Mayo pleaded guilty to the rape of Ciara Mangan at an address in the town on May 11th, 2013. Last Monday at the Central Criminal Court Mr Noonan was jailed for eight years for the offence.
The court heard that Ms Mangan went to a party where some of her co-workers from the fast food restaurant were in attendance. The then 18-year-old began to feel unwell after being handed an open can of cider at the party.
She recalled being sick and being approached by Noonan. She said that her co worker made a “beeline for her” and guided her to an upstairs bathroom where he raped her.
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Ms Mangan told the court that Noonan walked out and left her alone on the floor in the aftermath of the assault.
“I was left to choke on my own vomit that night and am lucky to still be alive.”
Following the rape, Ms Mangan said she was subjected to “rape comments” and “rape songs” by colleagues in her then-workplace when the owner was not present.
“I get very distressed and emotional thinking about this abuse on top of what happened to me. To say this was absolute hell on earth is putting it lightly. I felt confused, embarrassed, disregarded, bullied, stressed, overwhelmed and that I wouldn’t be believed.
“I always say that the moment I was raped, my soul left my body. Part of Ciara was stolen, changed, damaged, hurt and destroyed. I will never be the same Ciara I was before the rape.”
Ms Mangan told Ms Justice Eileen Creedon that her then colleagues thought that what had happened to her was “funny and a source of entertainment”.
“This torture and abuse is one of the reasons I didn’t report the rape to the gardaí sooner than I did.”
Ms Mangan told The Irish Times yesterday that she believes that the open can of cider she was handed on her arrival at the party was “spiked”.
She said that while she received training in “carrying heavy boxes correctly”, there was a complete absence of guidance in relation to “bullying or sexual harassment”.
Ms Mangan said that everybody in work knew that she was raped and it was “the joke of the day”.
“Then the tormenting started, and for the next 10 months.”
She said the abuse started when she “brushed up against Shane” in a narrow section of the kitchen.
“A colleague commented: ‘Jeez be careful of Ciara, Shane. You already raped her. You wouldn’t want to do it again.”
Everyone was making a joke of it, so I was questioning why is this affecting me so badly – psychologically, with depression and trauma.”
She went to one of her co-workers seeking support who she says told her to: “Shut the f**k up and be glad he didn’t get you pregnant.”
Ms Mangan, who waived her right to anonymity at the court hearing, says organisations with young workforces had a “huge responsibility” in relation to their safety.
In a statement released to The Irish Times, McDonald’s UK and Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow said he commended Ciara’s “bravery” in speaking about her “horrific experience”.
“I am deeply appalled by these new allegations and commit to investigating them to our fullest extent through our Investigation Hearing Unit.”
In a separate development, the BBC has published claims made by more than 100 current and former McDonald’s workers – with employees as young as 17 alleging that they were groped and harassed regularly in branches throughout the UK.
Mr Macrow confirmed to Sky News on Friday that a new unit is being established to address bullying and sexual harassment.
“Any substantiated breaches of our code of conduct will be met with the most severe measures up to, and including, dismissal.
“I will make sure that everyone is in no doubt of my own unequivocal insistence on zero tolerance of harassment of any kind and to ensure our non negotiable message of respect and inclusivity is heard clearly throughout our business.
“We have clearly fallen short in some critical areas and I am determined to root out any behaviour or conduct that falls below the high standards of respect, safety and inclusion we demand of everyone at McDonald’s as detailed in our global brand standards.”
