Domestic and sexual violence won’t be tolerated – McEntee

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has said domestic and sexual violence is an epidemic and is something that is impacting every facet of Ireland’s society.

Ms McEntee commended all of the victims of domestic and sexual violence who have come forward and spoken about what they have gone through, highlighting the need, she said, for everyone keep this issue on the agenda.

Speaking on her way into Cabinet, Ms McEntee said it is important that the Government continues to prioritise improving the justice system and supporting victims and that those who are responsible for these crimes are held accountable.

She said there are significant sentences for these type of crimes and that has been seen in recent days.

The minister also said the message that needs to be highlighted is that “irrespective of the who you are or where you work, we will not tolerate any form of domestic or sexual violence.”

She said that has been made clear in An Garda Síochána and “the same needs to happen in the Defence Forces” to make sure it is a safe space.

She said generally across society people need to understand what consent is and that those conversations take place.

Minister McEntee said it is a number one priority, while acknowledging there is a huge amount of work to be done.

She said: “We need to be absolutely clear, irrespective of who you are or where you work, that we will not tolerate any form of domestic or sexual violence against a colleague or any other individual.

“That’s been made very clear in the gardaí. We can see that in recent court rulings – for example Paul Moody, his subsequent dismissal from the gardaí.

“But also the work the gardaí are doing; the reviews taking place now. Looking at whether or not there are members with convictions, or whether or not there are members with charges against them for domestic or sexual violence.

“The same needs to happen in our Defence Forces. There are many, many fine men and women working in the Defence Forces but we need to make sure that it is a safe space for everybody,” Ms McEntee said.

“But also those who have those serious convictions that they do not have a place working, protecting the people of this country.”

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Meanwhile, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin spoke of the “very worrying” rate of cases of violent assaults against women and he said there is a need to reflect on what is “driving this violence”.

Also speaking on his way into Cabinet, he commended Bláthnaid Raleigh for speaking out and described her “extraordinarily measured and courageous response” to the appalling attack she went through.

Yesterday a 26-year-old man was jailed for raping Ms Raleigh with a bottle in a garden shed five years ago.

Ms Raleigh waived her anonymity to allow Jonathan Moran to be named in the reporting of the case.

The Tánaiste said: “I believe she has spoken up for many women.”

He said as a society, there has to be zero tolerance and the issue of consent must be addressed with deeper analysis of why these crimes are happening.

Minister of State Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said women were “completely sick and tired” of being subjected to sexual and gender-based violence in society and that they “have to go through a court process and get an outcome before they can feel that they can talk about it.”

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, she said: “This has been a problem for this generation, the previous generation and the generation before that. And we keep talking about it and talking about it, but you have to stand up and say – absolutely not and absolutely not in our Defence Forces, absolutely not in our gardaí and absolutely not anywhere else either.”