Buggery ruling - No comfort for victims

We have an unenviable record in supporting victims of sex attacks who wish to see their assailants charged and brought to court.

There have been instances where communities ostracised the victim rather than the attacker; another where a victim had to endure the daily taunts on her way to work of a man who raped her.

The court ruling that an unknown number of men facing buggery offences committed prior to 1993 will not face trial does nothing to improve that image. Indeed, it reminds victims, once again, that this is a cold country for people in this awful position. This offends the great majority of Irish people, so why is it allowed to continue?