It is unacceptable that legislative loopholes are allowing abusers to retraumatise their victims, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Speaking on the claims by Sonas Housing, Deputy Gannon, the party’s Justice spokesperson, said:
“It’s a gross miscarriage of justice that perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence can access details on the whereabouts of their victims from state bodies.
“Tusla and the Data Protection Commission, the bodies which, in turn, released and requested information about victims to and on behalf of their abuser should only exist to prevent harm, not perpetuate it.
“The DPC should have no role in pressuring domestic violence charities like Sonas to release information about those they are sheltering – it’s obscene that that assertion even needs to be made.
“My thoughts are with the victims, who have been forced to move from the refuge they were staying in due to concerns for their safety.
“Staff in domestic violence charities are also at risk – Sonas believe the name of one of their support workers was revealed to the perpetrator by Tusla.
“There are six other cases in which abusers are actively seeking information on their victims from Tusla or the DPC.
“These victims must not be retraumatised by state bodies who are mandated to protect them.
“Our justice system often works against survivors of gender-based violence – the government must move quickly to change legislative loopholes like these, as well as ensuring survivors’ counselling notes are not routinely used as evidence in sex offence trials.
“Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are endemic in Ireland. One in four women in this country are affected by domestic violence in their lifetime, while half of all women report experiencing sexual violence at some point.
“So much more needs to be invested in prevention, protection, legislative reform, and policy co-ordination to truly transform Ireland into a country where there is zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”
March 4th, 2025