A panel discussion held on Tuesday, February 18, saw gender-based violence survivors urge the new Irish government to take action. Addressing the gathering, Ruth Coppinger TD began by highlighting a distressing reality: six femicides have occurred in the state within the first eight weeks of 2025, and 1,600 domestic violence reports were made to the Gardaí during Christmas week alone.

Coppinger presented her comprehensive 10-point plan, which she will introduce to the new Dáil on February 26. “Survivors don’t need thoughts and prayers from government ministers—they need action,” she declared, emphasising the urgency for meaningful reform.

The plan calls on the government to:

1. Ban character references in gender-based violence cases to prevent the re-traumatisation of victims and avoid undue leniency.  
2. Protect victims’ privacy and the right to therapy by preventing defence teams from accessing counselling notes.  
3. Provide legal advocates for complainants during court proceedings.  
4. Mandatory training for judges and juries on gender-based violence, with a ban on rape myths and victim-blaming tactics in court.  
5. Increase investment in court personnel to ensure no case of sexual assault or gender violence takes more than a year to be heard.  
6. Implement educational programmes in schools, colleges, and wider society to tackle misogyny and gender violence.  
7. Introduce accountability mechanisms for judges who make misogynistic or insensitive rulings.  
8. Enact the ‘Valerie Law’ to revoke parental or inheritance rights for those convicted of killing their spouses.  
9. Provide specialised femicide and intimate partner violence training for Gardaí.  
10. Introduce a Domestic Violence Register (‘Jennie’s Law’) to allow access to information about individuals convicted of domestic violence.

Jennie’s Law is inspired by the tragic murder of Jennifer Poole, who was fatally stabbed by her ex-partner Gavin Murphy in April 2021. Poole’s family were only made aware during the trial that Murphy had a violent history, including a previous conviction for attacking another partner and her mother. Coppinger also cited the case of Valerie French, who was murdered by her husband, James Kilroy, in 2019. 

 

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The panel featured five speakers with lived experiences of violence and advocacy work. They included:
– Natasha O’Brien, a survivor of macho violence and justice campaigner.
– Paula Doyle, a survivor of sexual violence who waived her right to anonymity to support other victims.
– Ciara Mangan, a survivor of sexual violence and workplace harassment, as well as the founder of Beyond Surviving, Ireland’s first survivor-led charity.
– Sarah Grace, a survivor of sexual violence and campaigner for legal reform.
– Harper Cleves, a spokesperson for ROSA, the Socialist Feminist Movement.

Harper Cleves noted that casual attitudes towards domestic violence lay the groundwork for other forms of abuse. “I have experienced abuse, sexism, and hatred,” she said. “And I don’t know a single woman or LGBTQ+ person who hasn’t.”  

Natasha O’Brien spoke about the attack that she faced on May 29, 2022, when O’Brien, who identifies as a lesbian, confronted former soldier Cathal Crotty for shouting homophobic slurs. Her request prompted a verbal assault followed by an unprovoked physical assault. She addressed the room speaking about her re-traumitisation as she navigated the Irish judicial system.

The panel’s call to action is clear: survivors demand legislative change, accountability, and societal reform to ensure that gender-based violence is no longer tolerated. Survivors are also supporting the call for protests and marches on International Women’s Day, March 8.