Protests have erupted across Ireland after a man was acquitted of raping a 17-year-old girl, with the defence lawyer telling the jury to consider the victim's clothing, specifically a lace-front thong. The case has sparked widespread condemnation of victim-blaming in the courtroom.
The trial, reported by the Irish Examiner, saw senior counsel Elizabeth O'Connell argue that the teenager's attire indicated she was open to sexual contact. The accused maintained the encounter in a Cork laneway was consensual. The jury returned a not guilty verdict.
In response, Irish MP Ruth Coppinger held up a blue lace thong in the Dáil, highlighting what she called 'routine victim-blaming'. She questioned how a rape victim feels when her underwear is shown in court and called for compulsory training for judges and jurors.
Social media users launched the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent, posting photos of their underwear to protest the use of such evidence. Protests organised by the Rosa socialist feminist group took place in several cities, including Cork, where 200 people marched on the courthouse and laid underwear on its steps.
The controversy echoes a similar outcry earlier this year in Northern Ireland, where two rugby players were cleared of rape, leading to calls for legal reform on both sides of the border.
