After just seven months, the number of women killed this year has already exceeded last year’s total after the violent death of a woman in Killarney this week, according to the Social Democrats’ Patricia Stephenson.
Senator Stephenson said:
“These are not just numbers or statistics – these are real women who lived real lives, lives that have abruptly cut short in the most horrendous circumstances.
“According to the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch, eight women have died in violently so far this year. That is a horrifying milestone.
“It’s clear from how often we hear of the killing of women in Ireland that we are going backwards with regards to femicide. This paints a barbaric, medieval picture of our country.
“This is an all-island epidemic – Northern Ireland is one of the most dangerous places in Europe to be a woman. This is a crisis which demands urgent attention.
“Since the devastating murder of Ashling Murphy in 2022, 40 women have died violently in Ireland. This is unacceptable, and the level of action being taken by Government to address violence against women is meagre.
“The disturbing reality is that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is widespread in Ireland. We know that women are the most at risk of experiencing gender-based violence. We must do more to tackle it.
“A key issue facing survivors is the lack of safe housing when they are fleeing domestic violence or leaving a refuge. The Social Democrats want to make survivors of GBV, including women and children, priority groups in Government housing strategy to ensure they have a safe home to rebuild their lives.
“Our justice system often works against survivors of gender-based violence. That is why we would give new powers to Gardaí to remove abusers from the home and want to change legislation so that survivors’ counselling notes are not routinely used as evidence in sex offence trials.
“We cannot let this issue get sidelined. We must fight to create an equal and safe Ireland for everyone. Violence against women must sit at the top of the justice agenda.”
July 8th, 2026