Maíria case not the only one

Fear of going to the police with complaints about sexual abuse or violence still exits in the North, according to a leading women’s rights advocate who said the case of Maíria Cahill is not an isolated one.

Marie Brown of Foyle Women’s Aid said she believed more cases would emerge of abuse being covered up by paramilitary groups, because “even if you put a lid on it, it always comes out in the end”.

She revealed that her organisation — established in the 1970s — came under pressure to remove the phone number of police from Women’s Aid leaflets.