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Rape laws to focus on issue of consent

Rape laws to focus on issue of consent
Jennifer Long
Jennifer Long

A person accused or rape will have to prove to a jury how they believed they had consent to have sex, under proposals going to Cabinet today (Wednesday).

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is also seeking approval from her Cabinet colleagues to draft new legislation that will also stop a man using the defense that he was drunk in relation to his capacity to understand if he did have consent to have sex.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has previously said the 'honest belief' defence for persons accused of rape is "not acceptable" and puts individual rape victims and off of society at risk.

Noeline Blackwell, who is Chief Executive of that centre, spoke to Maria McCann on 'Deise Today' this morning.

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During the piece, she also gave her reaction to the court  case of serving garda Paul Moody.

He was jailed for three years and three months yesterday for carrying out a four-year campaign of threats, harrasment assaults and coercive control of his terminally-ill partner.

To listen back to Noeline Blackwell's interview, click on the link above.

 

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