System failing home violence victims

The legal system is failing victims of domestic violence and abuse at every level, research to be published today has found.

The study by Safe Ireland found women are not taken seriously by the legal system, are generally silenced in court, and do not have their allegations of domestic violence fully investigated.

It also shows statements are not readily taken, breaches of safety and barring orders often go unpunished, and there is no consistency or continuity in the application of the law.