Stolen lives - the 239 women violently killed in Ireland since 1996

[Gubu]

www.irishtimes.com/life-style/people/2022/07/23/stolen-lives-239-violent-deaths-of-women-in-ireland-from-1996-to-today/

Heartbreaking reading. Each of these women deserves to be remembered and have her killer face justice. Rest in peace all, and my friend in particular

The headline still bothers me. It should read “Stolen lives - the 239 women violently killed NY MEN in Ireland since 1996”

We need to continue to challenge the soft language used about male violence.

That was obviously meant to be BY. Autocorrect 😒

On the whole I agree with you, but to be technical, I counted (I think) six cases where a woman was either the sole perpetrator (2) or convicted in some capacity in relation to the killing. And that's without the cases where no details are given due to legal restrictions.

But yes, overwhelmingly these are murders/manslaughter/killing of women and children by men.

IT does have a good record on reminding readers once or twice a year of the recent history of violence against women. In recent times they did pieces on sexual assault and rape at 3rd level, another on domestic violence, etc.

it is important to keep these things visible. I work in the legal area, and never cease to be amazed at the cases we see, how little is reported in the press, etc.

Laura Mulcahy's beautiful lament.

What I found interesting about this article was how often the murderer was suffering from Schizophrenia or other mental illness. It was almost every 3rd one. When we think how dreadful mental healthcare is in Ireland, and has been for the last 20 odd years since 1996, many of these deaths could potentially have been prevented. Awful awful

Marilyn Rynn 1996 ... And the many other women who were violently killed that year. I was 15. I remember it as a turning point for all my friends. A group of teens and our first forays into the adult world. When we missed the last bus it was this nitelink we got home, one friend walked the same route Marilyn did from the bus stop. Until then we were oblivious to the risks....after we all carried rape alarms in the hope we might get a few seconds to run if attacked. I remember the fear as we quickly walked home from the bus stop, keeping a wary eye on any male lingering on the dark paths, a feeling familiar to many women that I still carry with me. I also remember the talk and reporting at the time. The accusations and blame laid on the victims. All us teen girls knew if anything bad happened us we'd be blamed too. Unfortunately I don't think that has changed. When will women stop being blamed for the crimes of men. When will we stop having to adjust our behaviour because of the bad behaviour of men.

I also noticed the many mentions of mental ill health and substance abuse among the men who killed these women, Ballygowan. It also struck me how many of the women who were killed who also had mental ill health and substance abuse issues but were able to either access support the men couldn't (unlikely, imho) or had alternative strategies for managing it, without turning to brutal anger and violence against others.

I remember hearing when Raonaid Murray was found, Believer. She was a friend of a friend and the horror her being attacked so close to home hit hard.

Sadly another woman has died in Limerick in likely violent circumstances over the weekend. Rest in peace, Louise Muckell

I read through all the names and to my shame there were many names I didn't recognise.
May the women violently killed in Ireland rest in peace.

@Gubu your username reminded me of the case from which the term GUBU originated, crimes committed by Malcolm Mc Arthur.
He was convicted of murdering Bridie Gargan but never convicted of murdering Donal Dunne. This was due to a deal done with the DPP and lawyers for Mc Arthur.
I think there was a terrible injustice done to Donal Dunne and his loved ones

Sickening to see so many women lose their lives in such violent circumstances and families left heartbroken and feck all justice. That's a shocking number of women who have been murdered but it's only the tip of the iceberg of violence directed at women.

The judges are failing women in Ireland, you only have to look at the extremely lenient sentences they give to men who are violent towards women and children. Judges Nolan and Carney spring to mind.

Only yesterday when that scumbag garda was sentence the judge give an extremely lenient sentence and then had the gall to say he was worried about how the garda would be treated in prison, you couldn't make it up.

Maybe if the judges gave proper long sentences without suspending huge chunks of it then it may give women the confidence to report abuse and it may just deter some of the violence.

I know there are some men who are victims of violence and domestic violence too and they should get justice too but all too often you'll hear comments such as he's bigger than her and the man is ridiculed or not believed. I know in one of those cases in the above list that the man was known to be on the receiving end of abuse from his partner and it's believed he snapped and killed her, he'd been to A&E with injuries before he murdered her not that it excuses him from murdering her.

The media have a big part to play in changing the narrative when it comes to reporting such murders, I'm sick of the "pillar of the community" being reported whenever a woman is murdered by her husband or partner.

@honeyrider. You write "The judges are failing the women of Ireland "

100% this.
I wish to God our female Minister for Justice would speak up and speak out and change the system we have to suffer under.
Do these judges not have wives, partners, daughters, mothers, sisters ?

I have to applaud the victim going to the Guards and the Guards believing her about "one of their own".

I don't think she was believed initially...he used his position to threaten and silence her and her family. She tried to call his superior at one stage to complain bit he convivced his colleague to divert the call to him. It was only when he further tried to use his position against her that questions were raised.
From Breakingnews:
"Detective Inspector Cormac Brennan told Shane Costello SC, prosecuting, that an investigation was launched against the man after he made a complaint about one of the woman’s relatives and handed in his own phone to allow for it to be examined in the context of that allegation.

Officers became concerned that there was an abusive relationship between himself and the victim, and they arranged to meet the woman. She later made a statement of complaint, which ran to 280 pages."

A quick Google of Martin Nolan shows how little he thinks of the women and children of this country and how highly he values a man's name. He has often felt the perpetrator being named is punishment enough for vile crimes!

This completely, his lenient sentences for crimes committed against women and children are astounding. Every time I hear that he will be the one passing sentence, my heart goes out to the victim.