Women's groups are operating in an "increasingly hostile environment" which is undermining their validity and funding, the Deputy Chairwoman of the National Women's Council of Ireland has said.
Speaking at the publication in Dublin yesterday of a paper examining the issue of gender and violence against women, Ms Mary Kelly said there was a "wave of anti-woman misinformation being disseminated through certain media columns and by so-called men's groups".
The report quotes a number of journalists, including John Waters.
The "hostile environment" came at a time where there was a "disturbing increase in the number of women" who were being seriously injured and killed, Ms Kelly said.
The vast majority of criminal assaults in Ireland were committed by men, she added.
Reiterating Ms Kelly's assertion, Women's Aid - one of the groups taking part in yesterday's event - said Irish and international research showed that more than 90 per cent of violent attacks were perpetrated by men.
Ms Teresa O'Donnell, communications manager for Women's Aid, said that "of course men's groups should have funding and that the issue of violence against men needs to be addressed, but undermining women is not the way to go about it".
She said the "constant stream" of arguments against women's groups had a "very demoralising and demotivating effect" on people working with victims of male violence.
Ms Kelly said journalists "like Fintan O'Toole and others, who challenge opinions which incite hatred against women" were also subject to backlash.
"The supports and services required by women who are abused must be maintained and developed despite the recent attempts to pour scorn on those who provide such vital services."
Those who denied the reality of abuse of women chose not to see the effects on women and their children, she said.
"They simply do not care about the lives, safety or human rights of women and children."
The Minister of State for Justice, Ms Mary Wallace, said she would study the report "carefully".
Ms Wallace is chairperson of the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women.