Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Here we are again, having statements in the Chamber following the news of an utterly chilling act of violence committed against a woman. We are all horrified by the brutal and barbaric assault committed on Natasha O'Brien by Cathal Crotty. The man who perpetrated this crime received a suspended sentence. The Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, has appealed the sentence and I welcome that. Meanwhile, Natasha has been left to pick up the pieces of her life, as she navigates trauma and horror.

When I met Natasha last week she told me that she found the court process even more traumatic than the attack itself. I find this shocking. It is a damning indictment of our country's court processes and one that should serve as a wake-up call for all of us because Natasha's experiences are not unique. Her story has parallels in the lives of women and girls across Ireland. Our trauma has been echoed in courtrooms throughout the State. In the last few days alone, we have heard other stories of women subjected to despicable and sickening acts of violence - vicious assault, physical and sexual violence, emotional abuse and coercive control. For younger generations, in particular, this is often compounded by online harassment and the sharing of sexual images. Women are subjected to appalling violence and then forced to relive the trauma under the glare of lights in courtrooms and Garda stations. Their private pain and distress are paraded publicly as they seek justice.

Natasha is an incredibly brave woman. Bláthnaid Raleigh from Mullingar is another brave woman who has shared her story, determined to hand back the shame to the man who raped her. There are so many brave women but women should not have to be brave. These despicable crimes should not be committed in the first place and, if they are, women deserve to have the confidence that the justice system will be there to deliver justice for them. It should be a system that supports them and has their back in their darkest days when they need it most. It should be a system that supports them and holds their distress and suffering with dignity. The failure of the judicial system to deliver justice for Natasha exemplifies and compounds the reason women are afraid to report such crimes. That is the harsh reality.

Women and girls feel the shadow of male violence throughout our lives. It is in our homes, families, relationships and workplaces and on our streets. It is nothing short of an epidemic, one shouldered by generation after generation of Irish women, by our sisters, mothers and grandmothers. Last week, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre reported receiving the highest number of calls to its helpline in the centre's 45-year history. This came just days after Women's Aid revealed it had received more than 40,000 reports of abuse of women and children last year. That amounted to the highest number in that organisation's 50-year history.

Since 1996, a total of 266 women have died violently in Ireland, with 172 of these being killed in their own homes. The vast majority were killed by someone known to them, mainly a current or former partner. Two years ago, Ashling Murphy was murdered in Tullamore as she went for a run and we gathered in this Chamber to express our determination that such a crime would never happen again. In the two years since Ashling's murder, we still cannot imagine the pain and heartbreak her family, partner and loved ones are experiencing and our thoughts are with them today.

Last week, we saw the opening of the tribunal of inquiry into abuse within the Defence Forces brought to light by the Women of Honour. These women bravely came forward to seek justice for sexual assault, physical violence and horrific instances of bullying and psychological abuse. This is an epidemic for women in every corner of Ireland, affecting women and girls across all ages and walks of life. We know this. None of us can say that we do not. Time and again, another shocking case emerges in the media. Society pays attention, politicians pay attention but then the media cycle moves on. Women feel trapped in a cycle of déjà vu and despair because women cannot move on because women have had enough. Nothing less than real and meaningful change will do. A genuine zero-tolerance approach for all forms of violence against women.

Last week marked two years since the Government published its zero-tolerance strategy for violence against women. The strategy was announced to much fanfare by the Minister for Justice. It was talked up at the time as a watershed moment but two years on, many women wonder how much it has really achieved. They would be forgiven for thinking that some of the Government’s promises have rung hollow. We need to see real change in the lives of women and girls that tackles the root of the problem, the epidemic in our society and the insidious culture that supports it, and the societal norms that mean violence can be perpetuated, facilitated and normalised in Ireland. The Government cannot wring its hands when the spotlight is on this topic before shrugging off responsibility when the story moves on. We cannot allow ourselves in this Chamber to become trapped in a cycle of outrage followed by inaction. If the Government is serious about a zero-tolerance approach, as the Minister says it is, then there are immediate actions that can be taken.

Nine counties in this State - Carlow, Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon and Sligo - still have no domestic violence refuge. The Minister knows this. In counties where there are refuges, too often staff are faced with the outrageous and heartbreaking task of turning away women and children because they simply do not have any room for them. We supported much of the implementation of much of the O’Malley review. However, because the Government failed to put in place the required resources, the Garda, the DPP and the courts are now struggling with the weight of extra cases following that review. Those resources must be put in place so that there are sufficient gardaí and court resources to prosecute cases efficiently. We need to look at sentencing decisions and appropriate training for judges. Victims have to have confidence in the justice system. That is their right.

Women demand nothing less than a truly zero-tolerance approach. Lip service is simply not enough. Women need to see follow-through with urgent action. Another strategy that simply gathers dust on a shelf will not deliver the solutions that are needed. I know that society can do better for women and it must. We must draw a the line together - now, today - so that all women can feel safe and be safe.

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