Victims of domestic violence face ‘bias’

Gardaí, solicitors, and judges are guilty of a “hidden bias” when it comes to dealing with victims of domestic violence, a seminar has heard.

Solicitor Simone George, who carried out research for Safe Ireland, said women were often unwittingly blamed for their situation by authority figures from whom they sought help.

She said she had recognised the same bias in herself while visiting refuge centres around Ireland interviewing women for her study.