Introduction
Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) is a pervasive international issue and gross violation of human rights. DSGBV is defined as violence inflicted upon a person because of their gender or a group that is disproportionally affected because of their gender (European Commission, n.d.-b). In addition to economic violence, actions can include:
“domestic violence (which can include physical, psychological, emotional, and financial abuse and sexual violence), rape and sexual assault, prostitution and trafficking, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, sexual harassment, stalking and related acts, forced abortion and forced sterilisation together with new and emerging forms of DSGBV e.g. cyber violence.” (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2023).
While DSGBV impacts all genders, women are overwhelmingly affected by acts of DSGBV such as intimate partner violence, human trafficking, femicide, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation (FGM) (European Institute for Gender Equality, n.d.-a).
This paper serves as an update to Foley’s Gender-Based Violence in Ireland (2022) paper by examining the current landscape of DSGBV in Ireland. Using the latest available data, this paper analyses international legal frameworks, national policy and legal developments, and tracks Ireland’s progress towards a society free from DSGBV. This paper argues that the Irish government has made important strides to tackle this societal issue in the past seven years and concludes with several policy recommendations to ensure that Ireland is a safe country for women and girls.
What the (limited) data shows:
DSGBV is an underreported incidence, often due to stigma, shame, and fear. Nonetheless, it is critical to gather data in order to raise awareness, monitor trends, and assess the impacts of public policies. In 2024, the EU Gender-Based Violence Survey (FRA et al., 2024) quantified the magnitude of gender-based violence (GBV) in Ireland, revealing that Ireland has higher recorded rates of GBV than the EU average. Data shows that:
- 40.7% of women in Ireland have experienced physical violence or threats and/or sexual violence by any perpetrator during their lifetime, compared to 30.7% of EU women
- 35% of women in Ireland have experienced psychological violence, physical violence or threats, and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, compared to 31.8% of EU women
- 12.7% of women in Ireland have experienced physical violence or threats by someone other than their intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to 7.4% of EU women
- 9.8% of women in Ireland have experienced sexual violence other than rape by someone other than their intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to 9.1% of EU women
- 44% of women in Ireland have experienced sexual harassment at work in their lifetime, compared to 30.8% of EU women (FRA et al., 2024)
GBV not only has a profound personal impact on the victim’s physical and mental health, and on their family members, but there is also a wider societal impact. In 2021, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) analysed the lost economic output (crime’s effect on productivity at work and time taken off), costs of public services, and physical and emotional impacts on survivors to calculate the cost of GBV across the EU. The EIGE estimates that GBV cost Ireland an estimated €4 billion and cost the EU an estimated €366 billion in 2019 (European Institute for Gender Equality, 2021). While it would be unethical to assign a price to survivor’s experiences, estimating lost economic output and public spending can inform EU Member States’ policy developments.
Furthermore, recent data from An Garda Síochána demonstrates that there are both increasing rates of domestic violence and decreasing rates of sexual violence across Ireland. In the first four months of 2026, there was a 10% increase in domestic abuse reports compared to the beginning of 2025 (Fletcher, 2026). Between January and April 2026, nearly 18,000 domestic abuse incidences were reported. Domestic abuse related calls are steadily increasing each year, with 65,224 reports in 2024 and 67,506 reports in 2025 (Fletcher, 2026). While women are overwhelmingly victims of domestic abuse, An Garda Síochána data from 2022 to 2025 shows that one in five reported incidences involved a male and one in eight involved a child (White, 2026). Finally, An Garda Síochána’s 2025 provisional crime statistics show a 12% decrease of reported sexual offenses compared to 2024. When broken down by type of incidence, reports of rape decreased by 11%, non-aggravated sexual assault decreased by 16%, and child sexual abuse material and related offenses decreased by 26% from 2024 (An Garda Síochána, n.d.; Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026a). However, in response to 2026 Central Statistics Office (CSO) data showing decreased sexual offences, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) expressed concern that rates of violence are not decreasing but rather that survivors are more reluctant to seek justice (Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, 2026). Importantly, the DRCC emphasised that they have not seen any corresponding reductions to their caseloads.
International Treaties and Agreements
There are a number of legal frameworks that aim to prevent harm against women and girls. This section outlines these frameworks, examines Ireland’s responsibilities, and identifies areas of policy progress alongside persistent compliance gaps.
CEDAW
The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979 and emerged as an international treaty in 1981. CEDAW establishes an international bill of rights for women, elucidating what gender equality means and how to achieve it (United Nations, 1979). In 2025, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) submitted a report on Ireland’s compliance and implementation of CEDAW (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2025). The report raised concerns about:
- The lack of support services for DSGBV survivors such as refuge accommodations;
- The justice system’s structure and burdensome legal processes;
- Cuan’s (the statutory DSGBV agency established in 2024) lack of policy function, ability to monitor policy implementation, and independence to critically evaluate the Irish government (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2025).
Istanbul Convention
Known as the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, entered into force in 2014 and was ratified by Ireland in 2019 (Council of Europe, n.d.). Part of what sets this Convention apart is its implementation guidance for national and governmental bodies around prevention, protection, prosecution, and policy coordination.
The Convention also requires data collection on gender-based crimes, classifies GBV as a form of persecution among asylum seekers, and includes boys and men as possible survivors of GBV (Jurviste & Shreeves, 2018). In its baseline evaluation report, the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO, 2023) commended Ireland for:
- The adoption of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and implementation plan that draw on the Istanbul Convention’s strategic pillars;
- Creating a divisional protective unit in the Garda Síochána to investigate domestic and sexual violence;
- Adopting a risk-evaluation tool for police;
- Funding two multi-lingual national telephone helplines.
However, the evaluation report also noted Ireland’s policy shortcomings and opportunities to improve compliance with the Istanbul Convention (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), 2023). While not a comprehensive list, the report raised the following concerns:
- Ireland is failing to sufficiently address a more comprehensive range of violence against women, like femicide and female genital mutilation (FGM);
- There is insufficient data collection by state agencies, departments, and specialist support services on violence against women and support/protections provided to survivors;
- Ireland lacks a coordinated, multi-agency response to incidences of violence against women.
Domestic Strategies and Legislation
Ireland has developed multiple strategies and advanced numerous policies relating to DSGBV. This section will review two recent national strategies and legislation from 2019-2026.
Zero Tolerance – The Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022-2026
Building upon the first two strategies[i], the Third National Strategy seeks to analyse root causes of DSGBV, reduce DSGBV incidences, improve support services, and prioritize justice (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2022). The Third Strategy is structured to deliver on the Istanbul Convention’s four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution, and policy coordination. The Third Strategy also incorporates a victim/survivor-centred approach to decision-making and prioritises intersectionality. By acknowledging the impacts that various identities have on DSGBV, this Strategy seeks to more holistically understand the needs of Travellers and Roma people, migrants, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, among other groups. A few of the Strategy’s key deliverables include:
- Creating a new statutory DSGBV agency, Cuan, to reduce government silos;
- Doubling the quantity of refuge spaces across Ireland;
- Conducting national sexual violence and domestic violence studies;
- Introducing new legislation to prosecute perpetrators;
- Running robust public awareness campaigns and improving relationships and sexuality education curriculum in schools.
National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030
Building off the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2021, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality has recently adopted a new strategy for 2025-2030 (Department of Children, Disability and Equality, 2025). With a vision to create “an Ireland where women and girls can thrive in a gender equal society”, the 2025-2030 strategy encompasses seven objectives. Of interest to this paper is the fourth objective: “Being Safe: I can live free of violence and harassment.” The Strategy’s fourth objective details opportunities for Ireland to eradicate violence and harassment towards women. While not exhaustive, a few of the strategies include:
- Identifying and addressing causes of violence against women and harassment in public spaces/online;
- Preventing violence against women and harassment in public spaces/online;
- Improving support services for survivors of DSGBV;
- Increasing access to safe, long-term housing for survivors of domestic violence.
Through coordinated efforts across all areas of Government, two action plans will be adopted to facilitate the implementation of the Strategy, and a Strategy Committee will be created to monitor its implementation.
Legislation and Policy Advancements
In recent years, Ireland has made numerous policy and legislative advancements to improve DSGBV survivor protections and to strengthen the criminal liability of perpetrators.
Survivor-Focused Policies
- 2023: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 created domestic violence leave. Individuals are entitled to five days of paid leave in a 12 month period for purposes that include relocating, seeking medical attention, obtaining counseling, and more (Workplace Relations Commission, 2023).
- 2024: The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration established Cuan, a statutory DSGBV agency (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2024).
- 2026: The Department of Social Protection established a travel supplement for victims of domestic violence. The supplement is available regardless of financial status for the initial three months. However, there must be a referral from a Cuan-funded service provider or written evidence from the Gardaí, social workers, healthcare professionals, etc. (Department of Social Protection, 2026).
- 2026: As of July 16, 2026, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 passed the Oireachtas and is awaiting signature by President Connolly. The Law includes amendments that restrict the disclosure of counseling notes to the maximum extent possible (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026c).
Perpetrator-Focused Policies
- 2019: Coercive control became classified as a criminal offense. Data from the first four months of 2025 shows a 2% decrease in reported incidences compared to the same timeframe in 2019 (Fletcher, 2026).
- 2025: Fiosrú, the independent statutory body for police oversight, created a Specialist Services Unit tasked with investigating reports of “domestic violence, coercive control, abuse of power for sexual purposes, child sexual abuse or sexual assault” against garda members (Fletcher, 2026).
- 2026: The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 also includes:
- The Domestic Violence (Judgements) Register Bill 2026, known as Jennie’s Law, which has been signed into law. The law creates Ireland’s first public domestic violence register with a list of those convicted of domestic violence against a current or former partner (Quinn, 2026);
- Two new criminal offences to combat sexual exploitation via ‘sex for rent’ (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026c);
- The Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026, known as Valerie’s Law, which has been signed into law. This law removes guardianship rights from individuals convicted of killing either their partner or the other parent of their child (AdVIC – Advocates for Victims of Homicide, 2026).
Cuan’s Recent Progress in Ireland
As a core part of the Third National Strategy, Cuan was established in 2024. Cuan is charged with coordinating and implementing the Strategy’s deliverables which are structured to align with the Istanbul Convention’s four pillars. As noted in its 2025 Progress Report on Implementation of Zero Tolerance and 2025 Annual Report, Cuan has worked to improve intersectional analysis of DSGBV, which special attention given to marginalised populations that include Traveller and Roma people, LGBTQ+ individuals, migrants with disabilities, and child survivors (Cuan, 2026; Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026b). While a comprehensive review of Cuan’s activities since its launch is beyond the scope of this paper, a summary of its principal achievements is provided to inform the policy recommendations that follow.
(Cuan, 2026)
Under the prevention pillar, Cuan expanded two existing public awareness campaigns, Always Here and Let’s Have the Consent Conversation, and implemented two new campaigns, Hardest Stories and You Are Not Alone (Cuan, 2026).
(Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2023)
(Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2025)
Regarding education strategies, Cuan worked with 17 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement an online reporting system for students and staff and worked with the Department of Education and Youth to reform their Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026b).
Under the protection pillar, Cuan seeks to improve support services for children and young adult victim-survivors. Through the Operation Encompass initiative, police and schools partner together to support children and young adults who experience or witness domestic violence. Regarded as critical to protect survivors of DSGBV, Cuan has taken steps to increase the refuge capacity across Ireland (an issue that had been raised by the IHREC). While the progress report notes that capacity has increased by 13 units, plans are underway to refurbish additional units and deliver new family refuge units and safe homes (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026b).
In accordance with the prosecution pillar, efforts have been made to increase the number of Courts Service staff who receive trauma-informed trainings and integrate trauma-informed practices in the courtrooms. To further improve prosecutions of DSGBV crimes, Fiosrú operationalized the Specialist Services Unit to manage DSGBV cases. Cuan and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration have also supported theGuardian of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2025 to remove guardianship rights from people convicted of killing another guardian. Additionally, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration led on the creation of the Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence Register) Bill. The Domestic Violence (Judgments) Register Bill 2026, known as Jennie’s Law[ii], established a Register of Judgments that is managed by the Courts Service. If a person is convicted of a serious domestic violence offence before the courts, that conviction will be held in a register[iii] (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026b). Such crimes include murder, manslaughter, rape, sexual and aggravated sexual assault, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and harassment, among others (Domestic Violence Judgments Register Act 2026, 2026). The aim of the register is to assist people who are in a relationship, or considering entering into a relationship, to check if the individual has a history of serious domestic violence convictions.
The final pillar, policy coordination, seeks to align national and local government to implement coordinated responses to DSGBV (Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 2026b).
Public Policy Opportunities
This paper demonstrates the significant progress Ireland has made in strengthening its response to DSGBV since 2019. However, as Cuan and the Irish Government conclude the Third Strategy period and finalise the Fourth Strategy, several areas warrant further consideration and improvement.
Survivor-led experience needs to be placed at the centre of policy responses, as has been noted by the Irish Observatory on Violence Against Women (see, Conneely, 2026) and the National Women’s Council (see, National Women’s Council of Ireland, 2025). Therefore, it is vital that survivors are engaged with and listened to throughout any policymaking process.
While Cuan is working to deliver 32 new family refuge units by the end of 2026, and plans to complete an additional 18 units in 2027, refuge accommodation expansion should continue to be prioritised (Cuan, 2026). As noted by the IHREC, refuge accommodations should be culturally appropriate (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2026).
Data collection needs to be continued, improved, and expanded upon. The National Women’s Council recommends that a coordinated DSGBV Data Strategy (led by Cuan) should be developed with robust monitoring and data collection systems (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2026; National Women’s Council of Ireland, 2025).
The Fourth National Strategy should include a plan to combat Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), as recommended by the National Women’s Council (National Women’s Council of Ireland, 2025).
Finally, if we want to ensure that survivors of DSGBV are empowered to seek justice, service providers and the justice system must be adequately trained to identify and respond to incidences of DSGBV. As recommended by the IHREC, there is a need to provide mandatory, culturally sensitive training to police, prosecutors, and judges (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2026). Frontline services also need to have sufficient resources, training, and awareness of DSGBV to meet support survivors’ needs (see, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 2026; National Women’s Council of Ireland, 2025).
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[i] The first National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence was from 2010-2014. The Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence was from 2016-2021.
[ii] This Law is named after Jennifer Poole who was murdered in 2021 by her ex-partner Gavin Murphy who had previous domestic violence convictions.
[iii] Victims will have to give their consent before the convicted person’s name is added to the public register.