The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has welcomed the recommendation of pre-trial hearings in sex crime cases following the publishing of a new report today.
CEO Noeline Blackwell said that the "report is a clear recognition from Government that it is not appropriate to treat crimes of sexual violence just like any other crime".
An expert group appointed by the Government after the 2018 Belfast rape trial published the report that recommends pre-trial hearings would see "side issues" being addressed where complainants would be legally represented.
If barristers wanted to question a complainant about their sexual history, they would need to apply to do this at the pre-trial.
DRCC CEO Noeline Blackwell said: “This report is a clear recognition from Government that it is not appropriate to treat crimes of sexual violence just like any other crime.
"Such crimes are a deep violation of the dignity and the person of the victim and can cause sometimes lifelong harm.
"This marks out the trial of such offences from other criminal trials."
She added: “While we have on several occasions noted the delay in the publication of the report, we recognise the complexity of the issues that Mr O’Malley dealt with and the erudition he brought to the topic.
"Equally, we welcome the commitment from Minister McEntee to implement his recommendations without delay and with the resources required.
"This commitment is as powerful as the many excellent recommendations and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre will be urging Government to ensure its implementation in the shortest possible time in line with its commitments in the Programme for Government.”
