Galway Bay FM Newsroom - A local senator has told the Seanad that Irish society has made little progress in addressing the issue of violence against women.
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Senator Pauline O' Reilly was contributing to a discussion on an Oireachtas committee report which examined victim testimony in cases of rape and sexual assault.
She outlined how factors including stigma, low conviction rates, a slow legal system, and lack of specialist training for frontline staff are stopping people from coming forward.
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She said this "poison" at the heart of our society needs to be brought to the surface so there can be an open conversation on the issue.
Senator O' Reilly argued there also needs to be greater efforts made on sexual and relationship education in schools:
