Sordid tales of sexual violence are robbing us of our humanity

I feel defiled having listened to the graphic and disturbing detail in the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, writes Alison O’Connor.

The shock at hearing the words being uttered on the 1pm news on Radio One at the beginning of the trial remain with me. There was no warning whatsoever of what we were about to be told. From then until now it has been constant sprints across the kitchen to turn the radio off as the headlines come on so as to ensure that the children don’t get to hear any of the unspeakably awful detail.

But it is not just those who are underage who should be protected from the circumstances of this case, and others like it, but adults who also simply do not wish to hear it.