West Dublin TD Ruth Coppinger has launched a petition in support of a motion which was presented to the Dáil on February 26.

The motion proposes to ban the accused accessing accusers' counselling records in court, which Coppinger says is "a purely misogynistic practice that seeks to find something to undermine and discredit victims."

Coppinger argues that using these materials in court makes victims less likely to report abuse and discourages survivors from seeking therapeutic care.

"The knowledge that counselling records can potentially be accessed results in many victims/survivors postponing essential therapeutic treatment, dropping cases, not reporting offences," the petition reads. "It therefore represents a gross invasion of privacy, an attack on the right to timely treatment, and on the ability to seek justice."

 

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According to Women's Aid, a charity aimed to prevent domestic violence, 35% of women in Ireland have experienced "psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse from an intimate partner."

In 2023, the organisation recorded over 40,000 instances of abuse.

The Central Statistics Office reported in the Sexual Violence Survey 2022 that 52% of women and 28% of men have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.

See the full petition here, and read Coppinger's full motion here.

A list of resources for victims of violence and abuse can be found here, via the HSE.