Listen to survivors about their experience of justice system - Carthy
The Justice Minister must deal with issues raised by survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence regarding the justice system, urges a local Sinn Féin TD.
Matt Carthy said that Minister Jim O’Callaghan must heed accounts of survivors on how disclosure of counselling notes compounds their trauma.
Deputy Carthy, who is Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 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.
“Tackling violence against women and girls must be a priority right across our society," Deputy Carthy told the Dáil.
“Every day, women and girls face violence in the form of domestic and sexual abuse, stalking, harassment and intimidation."
Deputy Carthy noted that figures provided by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration through a parliamentary question showed a rise in emergency calls made to gardaí reporting domestic abuse from 44,782 in 2020 to 65,224 last year.
“In dealing with the issues of domestic and gender-based violence it is important that we listen to survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence. We need to listen to them particularly in terms of their experience of the justice system.
“Survivors of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence and their families have raised a number of very important issues which much be dealt with by the Oireachtas as a matter of urgency. I would like to see the Justice Committee, when it is established, to meet with survivors who have contacted us in advance of this debate.
“There are clearly a number of areas where legislative changes are required including the retraumatising impact of victims counselling notes being disclosed in rape and sexual assault cases; the blocking parental and inheritance rights for those who their kill their spouses and the need to create a domestic violence register.
“It is clear from survivors that the disclosure of counselling notes during a trial severely compounds their trauma. The commitment in the programme for government to deal with this should be fast tracked and dealt with as a matter of priority.”