Nearly 1 in 5 Irish women face physical violence in their lifetime, EU study reveals

Women at a protest in Dublin on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Picture: Leon Farrell/RollingNews

Almost 20% of Irish women have experienced physical violence, or the threat of physical violence, in their lifetime — the sixth-highest percentage across the EU, according to a comprehensive new study.

The research, published to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, shows that almost 22% of Irish women have been subjected to sexual violence, the seventh-highest rate across Europe.