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Ireland's New Law Targets Domestic Abusers
17 Jul
Summary
- Ireland launches its first public domestic violence offender register.
- Legislation is named Jennie's Law in honor of a murder victim.
- Register requires victim consent and judicial approval for publication.
Ireland has passed landmark legislation, known as Jennie's Law, to establish its first public register of domestic violence offenders. The bill was approved in the Dáil, the Irish parliament, following years of advocacy by the family of Jennifer Poole, who was murdered in April 2021 by her former partner.
Poole was unaware of her ex-partner's history of abuse and a prior conviction. The new online register will feature names of individuals convicted of severe domestic abuse, including rape, sexual assault, harassment, coercive control, and intimate image sharing. Publication is subject to the trial judge's discretion and requires the victim's consent.
Offenders can seek removal from the register after three years. Supporters hail the law as a crucial step in shifting domestic violence culture. This development occurs amid rising concerns over femicide in Ireland, with eight women having died violently this year already. Globally, UN Women reports approximately 137 women and girls are killed daily, with a significant portion by intimate partners or family members.
