Domestic violence - Oireachtas must protect the abused

It was largely as a result of the Irish Examiner’s series on domestic violence that the Justice Committee of the Dáil held a hearing on domestic violence yesterday.

The aim of the meeting was to highlight the problem in order to create an awareness of its extent and to examine better ways for the legal system to protect victims. This should help to place the issue at the top of the political agenda.

Domestic violence affects people in all walks of life, from all social classes and economic circumstances. All too often this violence is hidden because of embarrassment, with the whole thing has being treated as a taboo subject.