Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)

Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a crisis shaped by the modern world, one where smartphones, online pornography and harmful attitudes towards women and girls are fuelling abuse. We cannot and must not ignore how technology has become a weapon in the hands of abusers, nor how degrading content is warping minds, including young minds. Revenge porn, coercive control via messaging apps and the harassment of women and girls online are rampant.

Meanwhile, the widespread availability of extreme pornography is distorting young people's understanding of sex, consent and relationships. Too many boys are learning from violent, misogynistic material, while too many girls face pressure to conform to degrading expectations. This is not just about individual acts of violence; it is about a culture that permits and even encourages to them. When boys are exposed to endless streams of abusive content they risk growing into men who view women as objects. When victims are stalked, shamed or threatened through their own devices, they are left with no safe space. When the justice system fails to keep pace with digital abuse, perpetrators act with impunity.

Government must take stronger action. We need strict enforcement of online abuse laws, including immediate takedowns of intimate images shared without consent and tougher penalties for cyberharassment. We need age verification for pornography to stop children accessing harmful material that normalises violence against women. As Deputy Devine said, we need a ban on strangulation porn and aggressive measures against social media companies. We need an education system, formal and informal, that informs and empowers people and counters harmful stereotypes, teaching young people about healthy relationships, respect and the dangers of degrading content.

We must also confront the attitudes that allow this violence to thrive. Too often, boys are taught to dominate while girls are taught to endure. This must end. We need good men and we need them to step up. We need more than words from Government; we need resources, enforcement and a fundamental shift in how we address this crisis. Ireland must be a leader in fighting abuse online and offline. The time to act is now.

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