Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Cathal Crotty case raises a number of issues and a number of things that need to change urgently. First is training of judges. The O'Malley report, published in the wake of the Belfast rape trial and the "I believe her" protests, recommended that judges, legal professionals and others whose professional work involves interaction with victims of sexual violence receive training. This should be broadened out to include all victims of gender-based violence. The Judicial Council appears to have commenced training but, as I understand it, it is not mandatory. It seems to be up to the judges themselves to decide whether they need it. This needs to change. The training should be mandatory. Where a judge, despite training, consistently hands down rulings that are inconsistent with the zero tolerance approach, there has to be a way of removing them from the bench. It is not acceptable to have judges who consistently hand down such rulings effectively unaccountable and in a position of authority until retirement, virtually unsackable.

The Garda Síochána and the family law system must be also accountable and subject to greater democratic check. Last year, 2,603 women in contact with the national freephone helpline disclosed that they had contacted the Garda because of domestic abuse and 48% said they had found the Garda unhelpful. Some 1,068 women had applied for domestic violence orders through the family law service and 48% noted their experience as bad. In other words, nearly half of the women who had summoned the courage to overcome fear, shame and other societal obstacles to disclose abuse against themselves and-or their children were treated in a way that lacked dignity, respect, urgency, a combination of all three, or other things. Either way, this is not good enough and it has to change.

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