Violence against women

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#Violence against women

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>'Trad wife' advocates suggest a woman's place is in the home. But Femicide Watch shows that, of resolved cases, 63% of women who died violently in Ireland since 1996 were murdered in their own homes. <span class="contextmenu emphasis CaptionCredit">Stock picture: Getty</span>
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S columnists

Sarah Harte: Social media is amping up the danger that women always faced at home

Intimate relationships often present the greatest danger for women — and now social media firms are openly profiting from spreading harmful porn and toxic masculinity. It's time we reined in Big Tech

<p>Louise O’Keeffe invested 16 years of her life in the fight for justice after she was the victim of sexual abuse in Dunderrow National School, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan</p>

spotlight

How the Louise O’Keeffe case exposed the State’s response to child sexual abuse victims

<p>Conor McGregor appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Picture: YouTube/The Tonight Show</p>

court and crime

Nikita Hand welcomes high-profile criticism of Jimmy Fallon after McGregor appearance

Tech firms need to be asked why image-based sexual abuse is 'more widespread'

court and crime

Tech firms need to be asked why image-based sexual abuse is 'more widespread'

Sexual abuse survivor Sonya Stokes campaigns for automatic protection orders for victims

spotlight

Sexual abuse survivor Sonya Stokes campaigns for automatic protection orders for victims

'The first place that made me feel safe': Sex abuse survivor praises Cork SATU on its 25th anniversary

munster

'The first place that made me feel safe': Sex abuse survivor praises Cork SATU on its 25th anniversary

How Jennie’s Law will work as Ireland prepares to introduce a domestic violence register

How Jennie’s Law will work as Ireland prepares to introduce a domestic violence register

Campaigners welcome progress but warn the proposed register must be consistently used to protect victims

Sun, 14 Jun, 2026

Domestic violence victims

ActionAid warns World Cup can coincide with rise in domestic abuse reports

Research cited by charity links major football tournaments with increases in domestic violence incidents and reports

Thu, 11 Jun, 2026

The counselling room is not a court room: Bill must protect sexual violence survivors' right to fair trial

The counselling room is not a court room: Bill must protect sexual violence survivors' right to fair trial

Rape Crisis Ireland supports the changes to the law on counselling notes, but they need more work

Wed, 10 Jun, 2026

Irish Cabinet meeting

Jennie's Law could be enacted before summer as domestic abuser register moves to Cabinet

Under the plans, the names of those convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner will be included on a public register as part of the conviction process

Mon, 08 Jun, 2026

Garda stock

Gardaí concerned members are flouting domestic violence order self-report policy

Domestic violence orders include safety orders, barring orders, protection orders, and interim barring orders

Sun, 07 Jun, 2026

Prisoner XL

Cork man who approached rape victim days after his release sent back to prison

Keith Ahern was released from prison on January 29 with the 10th year of a 10-year sentence suspended on conditions that required him to have no contact with the victim of the rape

Fri, 05 Jun, 2026

Domestic violence victims

Four counties have no domestic violence accommodation, new figures reveal

New figures reveal major regional gaps in domestic violence refuge and Safe Home accommodation across Ireland

Thu, 28 May, 2026

Jillian Godsil: Aidan Turner or not — after Epstein and #MeToo I just can't stomach ‘Rivals’

Jillian Godsil: Aidan Turner or not — after Epstein and #MeToo I just can't stomach ‘Rivals’

Having enjoyed Jilly Cooper's bonkbusters in the 1980s, a more mature Jillian Godsil now says: 'I am over stories that romanticise the innocent young woman being claimed by an older, powerful man'

Tue, 26 May, 2026

Fergus Finlay: The fact that more people need rape crisis services shows we are failing as a nation

S Fergus Finlay: The fact that more people need rape crisis services shows we are failing as a nation

70% of adults in Ireland think we have a problem with consent, and 81% agree that talking about consent will result in more healthy sex and sexuality — that's why the DRCC's services are crucial

Tue, 26 May, 2026

Domestic violence: Ireland cannot keep treating coercive control as an afterthought

Domestic violence: Ireland cannot keep treating coercive control as an afterthought

The Paul Moody case has renewed calls for Jennie’s Law and stronger protections for domestic abuse victims in Ireland

Sat, 23 May, 2026

Violence against women: Senior garda warns of 'manosphere'

Violence against women: Senior garda warns of 'manosphere'

Angela Willis says gardaí are increasingly seeing the influence of social media feeding boys and men with violent, misogynistic content

Sat, 23 May, 2026

Reese Witherspoon

Joyce Fegan: Even girl bosses Reese Witherspoon and Mel Robbins can't convince women we need AI

Cui bono — who benefits — from all of us blindly adopting another Silicon Valley tool we never even asked for?

Sat, 23 May, 2026

The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Calls for domestic violence register after latest Paul Moody conviction

The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Calls for domestic violence register after latest Paul Moody conviction

This week, the podcast explores renewed calls for stronger monitoring of repeat domestic abuse offenders following several high-profile cases

Listen | Fri, 22 May, 2026

Government turns to TikTok to highlight risks of cosmetic surgery abroad

40% surge in peer-on-peer sex assault cases referred to specialist service

Conference hears concerns about 'manosphere' influencers and extreme pornography

Fri, 22 May, 2026

Domestic violance

1,000 domestic abuse reports made to gardaí every week last year

Gardaí say thousands of domestic abuse incidents have already been reported this year as awareness campaign begins

Fri, 15 May, 2026

Victim of sexual harassment, domestic violence or abuse. Young sad woman crying and sitting on the floor at home. Ashamed, scare

Females are the victims in 80% of sexual offences, CSO finds

In 2024, there was just one case of a female offender and a male victim and three cases of a female offender and a female victim

Thu, 14 May, 2026

Sexual abuse survivors call for 'Super Protection Orders' to keep abusers from contacting them

Sexual abuse survivors call for 'Super Protection Orders' to keep abusers from contacting them

the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration heard from survivors of rape on Tuesday

Tue, 12 May, 2026

Garda who admitted 12 months ago to assaulting his wife still a member of the force

Garda who admitted 12 months ago to assaulting his wife still a member of the force

Former garda Margaret Loftus said: 'If it’s because it’s still in a process, the process has to be looked at, scrutinised, changed, and updated.'

Fri, 08 May, 2026

James Holder court case

Superdry co-founder James Holder jailed for eight years for raping woman

James Holder denied rape, claiming the sexual activity was consensual, but was convicted by a unanimous jury at Cirencester Courthouse last week

Thu, 07 May, 2026

‘Valerie’s Law' will strip murderers of guardianship rights to their children

‘Valerie’s Law' will strip murderers of guardianship rights to their children

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan to seek Government approval for the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2026

Tue, 05 May, 2026

Margaret E Ward: Tech-enabled stalking and AI abuse are fuelling violence against women

Margaret E Ward: Tech-enabled stalking and AI abuse are fuelling violence against women

From hidden trackers to AI deepfakes, new technologies are accelerating coercive control and violence against women worldwide

Sat, 02 May, 2026

Young women sitting in dark room feeling pain with life problem. suffering from husband violence, Stop violence against and se

Garda Commissioner: Force must improve its response to domestic violence in Cork

First PCSA meeting in Cork hears criticisms — including that gardaí can be 'soft' on enforcing protection and barring orders

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Stay Away!

State engages with survivors of violence against women 'inconsistently or not at all', report states

"Survivors must be recognised, allowed to speak, and be respected as experts by experience," said founder of Survivors Informing Services and Institutions, Mary Louise Lynch.

Mon, 27 Apr, 2026

Investigations launched into 12 cases of garda domestic and sexual abuse misconduct

Investigations launched into 12 cases of garda domestic and sexual abuse misconduct

One of the victims was arrested four times on foot of complaints made against her by her husband, whom she claims was coercively controlling her

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026

Young Couple Arguing and Fighting. Domestic Violence Scene of Emotional abuse, Stressed Woman and aggressive Man Having Almost V

Conviction of Scottish man in wife's suicide is a landmark case

Can someone really 'choose' to end their life, when their life is lived under threats and coercion on a daily basis?

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Cork stalking victim says she was ‘horrified’ at request for her therapy notes

Cork stalking victim says she was ‘horrified’ at request for her therapy notes

The woman’s former partner Seán Fagan was sentenced in February to four years with the last two years suspended

Mon, 13 Apr, 2026

stressed woman sitting on sofa at home

80% of women in Cork addiction services also have mental health conditions, study finds

Nearly half of the women reported at least one attempted suicide, while nearly four out of 10 said they had experienced domestic violence

Wed, 08 Apr, 2026

Suspended sentence for Cork man who punched woman and pulled her by the hair

Suspended sentence for Cork man who punched woman and pulled her by the hair

John O’Leary, aged 29, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and criminal damage in relation to an incident at his address in July 2025

Mon, 06 Apr, 2026

Natalie McNally death

Emma deSouza: Too many women in Northern Ireland are dying at the hands of men

Northern Ireland's violence is not in the past — it's merely retreated behind closed doors, where women bear the brunt, writes Emma deSouza

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Sad woman

‘Keep knocking on doors’: Survivor speaks out after abuser uncle jailed for 12 years

Woman waived anonymity to encourage others to report abuse, despite earlier dismissal and years of silence

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

A killing in Midleton: The twisted lies that followed the tragic murder of Daena Walsh

A killing in Midleton: The twisted lies that followed the tragic murder of Daena Walsh

A jury ultimately saw through Adam Corcoran's myriad of deceptions, misdirection, and plain old lies

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Court hears of 'real romance' before Ukrainian war veteran tried to kill his partner in Kerry

Barrister for man who pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his former partner says it was 'unfortunate and grim'

Mon, 16 Mar, 2026

James Patrice in drag for a Mother’s Day campaign does not make me angry. I’m angry at men in suits

James Patrice in drag for a Mother’s Day campaign does not make me angry. I’m angry at men in suits

The declaration by certain men on the political right that James Patrice in a dress is somehow a threat to Irish motherhood would be laughable if it wasn't so stupid, writes Sinéad O'Moore

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026

Mary Crilly to retire from Sexual Violence Centre Cork but says she will continue campaigning

Mary Crilly to retire from Sexual Violence Centre Cork but says she will continue campaigning

Having founded the centre in 1983, chief executive Mary Crilly is about to step down — but intends to continue working on the Safe Gigs Ireland campaign

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Medical Council urged to take 'appropriate' action amid 'violent image' UCD backlash

Medical Council urged to take 'appropriate' action amid 'violent image' UCD backlash

UCD dean of medicine says statements made from doctors in a letter to the council were 'inaccurate'

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

University of Galway to conduct survey about online abuse of female academics

University of Galway to conduct survey about online abuse of female academics

It comes against a background of increasing gender-based online abuse of women in politics and journalism

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Sexual assault survivors opting for counselling rather than criminal trial over fear of notes disclosure in court

Sexual assault survivors opting for counselling rather than criminal trial over fear of notes disclosure in court

One respondent to survey said: 'I am afraid to take my abuser to court in case my 10 years of counselling notes end up in court'

Thu, 05 Mar, 2026

Thousands protest at UCD over 'naked, bruised' images shared of student

Thousands protest at UCD over 'naked, bruised' images shared of student

Protest follows circulation of explicit image as student alleges lack of university support after reported assault

Wed, 04 Mar, 2026

Prisoner

Man who raped his then-partner while she slept jailed for six years

In a text message, he said: 'I didn't mean to rape you, sorry I should have woke you up'

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Clodagh Finn: The dung queen of Ireland — and other Irish women alive in the time of Hamnet

Clodagh Finn: The dung queen of Ireland — and other Irish women alive in the time of Hamnet

Voices is using AI and Knowledge Graph technologies to bring together myriad sources so historians and computer scientists can recover the lives of ordinary Irish early modern women

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Survivors didn't remember consenting to use of counselling notes in court, says survey

Survivors didn't remember consenting to use of counselling notes in court, says survey

The online survey by Beyond Surviving, a group founded by rape survivor Ciara Mangan, aims to give survivors the opportunity to air their views on the use of counselling notes in court

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Domestic abuse: Significant inconsistencies in garda responses to domestic violence

Domestic abuse: Significant inconsistencies in garda responses to domestic violence

Advocates are working to improve garda interaction with victims of violence, and reduce delays in getting justice, writes Ann Murphy

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

The search for the Irish women who have gone missing in the Vanishing Triangle

The search for the Irish women who have gone missing in the Vanishing Triangle

At least eight women were abducted and murdered in Leinster in the 1990s. All cases remain unsolved, a stark fact that is deeply disturbing, writes Barry Cummins

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026

'You won’t be able to recognise your face': Cork man threatened to throw acid over ex-partner

'You won’t be able to recognise your face': Cork man threatened to throw acid over ex-partner

The woman spoke up for the accused saying she was keen for him to continue to have access to their children even though they are no longer in a relationship

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026