Research says Ireland’s ‘rape shield’ law is not working - why?
Summary
Rape Crisis Ireland launches a study revealing that the country's "rape shield" law is failing to protect sexual offense complainants from intrusive cross-examination about their sexual history. Guest Shanad Ring, an associate law professor, explains that vague legal drafting allows defense lawyers to introduce irrelevant evidence, such as dating app activity or search history, in nearly 40% of trials. The report highlights that this outdated approach relies on discredited myths and deters victims from seeking justice. Ring recommends tightening the law with clearer relevance criteria, stan…
Topics discussed
Introduction: Rape Crisis Ireland research on the rape shield
Context: Prevalence of sexual violence and low reporting rates
Explaining the 1981 rape shield rule and legal process
Why the law is failing: Vague drafting and illogical inferences
Modern issues: Dating apps, search history, and adolescent cases
Statistics: Frequency of applications in sexual offense trials
Recommendations: Codifying law, specialist lawyers, and reducing delay
Closing remarks and show sign-off
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