"Tackling violence against women and girls must be a priority right across our society".
That's the call from local TD Matt Carthy who is also the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. Deputy Carthy says Minister Jim O’Callaghan must deal with issues raised by survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence regarding the justice system, particularly how disclosure of counselling notes compounds their trauma.
Deputy Carthy said survivors who wrote to members of the Dáil in advance of a private members debate on gender violence should be given an opportunity to address the Justice Committee when it is established.
Figures revealed by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to me in a parliamentary question last week showed that the number of emergency calls made to gardaí reporting domestic abuse rose from 44,782 in 2020 to 65,224 last year. In dealing with the issues of domestic and gender-based violence, the local TD said it is important that we listen to survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence. The Cavan Monaghan TD said we need to listen to them particularly in terms of their experience of the justice system.
