Minister McEntee believes stronger sentences are needed in Ireland

We're seeing way too many people walk out of court with barely a slap on the wrist.

These abusers have committed unthinkable crimes but their sentences don't come close to what they should be.

It's a major concern for victims of abuse, for Irish women, and for Minister Helen McEntee.

This week, the Minister for Justice spoke out about the lenient sentences being handed down in Ireland's courts.

She told The Independent that "the ceiling wasn't high enough".

"One of the things that frustrated me the most when I came into the department was seeing trials where the sentences, in my eyes, didn't match the crime.

"If dealing with violence against women is not seen as being tough on crime, then I don’t know what else is, to be honest."

McEntee's comments come weeks after there was a major uproar following Natasha O'Brien's case.

The Limerick woman campaigned tirelessly after her attacker was given a suspended sentence despite leaving her with physical and mental scars.

Speaking to Her.ie, Natasha echoed the minister's view and called for stricter sentencing to be introduced.

"You need to change this entire system and you need to change the attitude of judges, as well as the training of judges,” Natasha said.

"We’re in a much better place than we were only a few years ago"

The judge told Natasha that she was lucky Crotty pleaded guilty which was the most shocking part of the hearing for her because she didn’t feel like the victim, she felt like she was being interrogated.

“I’m a victim here. I’m not the criminal at all and I’m the one being interrogated and attacked.”

“I went home alone and I felt like I’ve actually got no hope now, I don’t care anymore. I don’t care what happens to my life. I’m so done with human beings and I have no faith.”

McEntee agreed that we're in a better place today but more improvements are needed.

"More women are coming forward because we’re talking about it, because we now have a whole of government strategy that says everybody has a responsibility to deal with this issue,” she said. 

She added: "We’re in a much better place than we were only a few years ago. But we have a long way to go. This is an epidemic. I really believe that."

We'll be in a much better place when criminals are given the right sentences and when they're not allowed to stroll out of court as if no crime has been committed.

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