No progress was being made in the campaign to end domestic violence, Susan O’Keeffe (Labour) told the Seanad.
She said the EU study on the issue was shocking and difficult to read, with 62 million women reporting they had been raped, burned, beaten, bullied, abused or subjected to violence in some form.
"The figures are one in three women in Europe, one in four women in Ireland, and yet it merits about one minute on the main evening news, and today's newspapers have not highlighted the report because it is no longer regarded as an item of news.
Many times
"We no longer care because either the figures are too shocking or we have heard them too many times.''
Ms O’Keeffe said she did not want to even think “what the response would be if it were 62 million men who were the subject of such abuse’’.
She added that the figures appeared to be going up and they should hang their heads in shame.
Shocking statistics
Ivana Bacik (Labour) said she agreed that the study showed shocking statistics on domestic and sexual violence against women. She added that the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality was currently engaged in hearings on domestic violence, and recommendations would be made on how to improve the effectiveness of the legal response.
Ms Bacik said the committee had already heard some clear recommendations for reform, such as the introduction of a specific offence of domestic violence.
