Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

When I leave a pub having been out socialising, my friends do not ask me to text them to let them know I got home safe. I do not worry about how I get home if I cannot book a taxi using an app or flag one down on the street. If I do not text my friends, they do not worry about me. If the sun is setting, I do not have to cancel my plans to go for a walk or run. If I am out for a walk on a dark evening, I do not have to base my trip on whether there are streetlights or I know the area will be busy. When someone walks behind me, I do not quicken my pace to make sure I am not being followed. If someone comes to chat to me, I do not check that I can make a quick exit. I do not worry about leaving my drink down when I am on a night out. When I am out in Cork or Dublin, day or night, I feel safe.

This is not the reality for many women. Not only do they not feel safe, they are not safe. They are targeted on the streets, in pubs and clubs and, far too often, in their own homes. They are targeted by strangers, partners and husbands, friends and, unfortunately, colleagues. Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has made women a target and has meant that women are not safe. Zero tolerance must be our approach. We can no more say that someone is of good character, comes from a good family or that an incident was once-off. This cannot be accepted. We must no longer tolerate this behaviour.

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