Violence against women and girls
Senator O’Reilly said gender-based violence is rising, cited several recent murders of women, and mourned Natalie McNally and Amy Doherty.
If we take a look at the headlines and stories over the past week, it is clear that this is no country for women. Gender-based violence is rising, and since 2020 there have been 65 women violently murdered across this country. We think of Natalie McNally, a young, pregnant woman murdered in her own home just days before Christmas. Her murderer was convicted of her murder on Monday. Her family is still grieving the loss of Natalie and her unborn child. Last week in Derry, we saw the murder of a young mother in her 20s. Amy Doherty was described by her family as bubbly, with a fun-loving spirit that lifted the hearts of those around her. Another young mother was violently beaten on the road in broad daylight in Tipperary this weekend. Women are constantly warned to take precautions, to be on their guard and not to walk home alone, but this woman was brutally assaulted in the middle of the day as bystanders watched on. Another woman, 23-year-old Kelly Lynch, was found in the Ulster Canal in Monaghan. Despite having 93 injuries, her death was ruled as not suspicious. She was failed by officials on both sides of the Border. Her mother had to set up a GoFundMe page to fund a private investigation. A grieving mother was forced to rely on the goodwill of others simply to find out what happened to her own child. I cannot imagine the pain of grieving your child while having to fight to simply find out what happened to them.
When are we going to say enough is enough? We need proper training for gardaí on how to spot and deal with domestic violence. Interaction with a garda could be the difference between life and death for a woman suffering abuse at the hands of her partner. There also needs to be an increase in mandatory minimum sentencing for serious cases of assault as well as a focus on early intervention.
As parents, we need to speak to our sons. The incidence of domestic violence is now an epidemic. If this problem goes unaddressed then we risk the lives of more and more women. I ask that the Leader arrange statements in this House on this issue.