Specialised domestic violence courts

Published: Tuesday, December 12, 2017

The Law Reform Commission has begun initial preparations for a new Programme of Law Reform and has invited submissions as to areas of law that may be in need of reform. The National Observatory on Violence Against Women, which NWCI chairs, made a submission asking the Commission to investigate the most appropriate specialised domestic, sexual and gender based violence court systems.

Ireland's traditional courts system is ineffective in dealing with domestic, sexual and gender based crimes, as we have consistently low prosecution rats and low conviction rates for these crimes.

NWCI bvelieves that it is important to address this; otherwise the recognition of new gender based offences, such as the commission of FGM, will undoubtedly be subjected to similar treatment, thereby guaranteeing similar poor outcomes.

As the chair of the National Observatory on Violence Against Women, NWCI coordinated the Observatory's submission on this issue to the Law Reform Commission. 

You can read the submission here.

The Observatory was established in 2002 and comprises of 18 separate member organisatio: Akidwa; Action Aid Ireland; Cairde; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; Galway Rape Crisis Centre; Longford Women’s Link; Love & Care for People; Immigrant Council of Ireland; Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence; National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks; National Women’s Council of Ireland; Oxfam Ireland; Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre; Ruhama; Sexual Violence Centre Cork; Sonas Domestic Violence Charity; Women’s Aid; YWCA Ireland