Rape victim's dress was shown during Limerick rape trial in 'blatant form of victim-blaming'

The rape victim was also asked in court if she was wearing underwear when she was attacked

24-year-old Patrick Faulkner was sentenced last week for the rape of a 15-year-old girl during a party in Limerick, when he was 18 years old. File picture: Dan Linehan

The showing of a dress in a trial worn by a rape victim, who was also asked in court if she was wearing underwear when she was attacked, amounted to “victim blaming, a form of public humiliation”, survivor advocates have said.

The clothing was produced during the rape trial of 24-year-old Patrick Faulkner, of Lower Mallow St, Limerick City, who was sentenced last week for the rape of a 15-year-old girl during a party in Limerick, when he was 18 years old. 

He was convicted of the rape by a jury in February and was sentenced to seven years last week.

During the trial, the dress worn by the victim on the night of the attack was produced in court, and she was also asked if she was wearing underwear.

The move has been slammed by Beyond Surviving charity’s chief executive, Ciara Mangan. Ms Mangan was raped by Shane Noonan of Castlehill Park, Turlough Road, Castlebar, Co Mayo, at a party in May 2013. 

He pleaded guilty in 2023 but appealed his seven-year sentence. The appeal was rejected in April 2025.

She said that the production of the dress in the Limerick rape trial “is blatant victim-blaming, a form of public humiliation”. She also said that the Irish justice system needs to “catch up with the year 2026”.

She questioned how such a move would encourage other victims to come forward to report rape, saying it in fact "does the opposite".

"How does anyone think that is appropriate — to be put through public humiliation and victim-blamed by a system that is supposed to support them?

The justice system is one of the most unwilling institutions to move with the times.

Outgoing chief executive of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, Mary Crilly, said the move was “outrageous” and pointed out that the case involved an underage girl in what was a statutory rape trial.

She said the use of a victim’s clothing in rape trials was common when she began attending court with victims 40 years ago and is angry that it is still being done, even if it is on a lesser scale now.

She said the use of victims’ clothing needs to be included now in guidelines on what should not be acceptable in sex offence trials.

“The use of clothing in these trials proves it is all about discrediting the victim. We need to do something about it.” 

Previous incidents

Last year, during a sentencing hearing following a rape conviction in Cork, the victim said that seeing her underwear being produced in court during the trial was “an out-of-body experience”.

In 2018, protests took place in Cork and other parts of the country following a trial in which the jury was asked by the accused’s barrister to consider that the complainant had been wearing a lace-fronted thong at the time of the alleged offence.

The accused man was found not guilty of raping the complainant, a 17-year-old girl, in a laneway in Cork.

Following the case, women also posted images of underwear online with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent.

In a statement on its social media referring to the Faulkner trial in Limerick, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said: “In 2018, thousands took to the streets in Ireland to send a clear message: clothes are not consent. No matter what someone is wearing. 

"This goes for everyone, of any age or gender. It should be especially obvious in the case of a 15-year-old girl.

“Introducing a survivor's clothing to cast doubt sends the same damaging message every time: that responsibility for sexual violence can somehow rest with the person who was harmed. It cannot, and it never will. 

"This practice of producing or discussing a survivor's clothes in court is designed to humiliate and silence the victim, and it must end.”