The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) has today expressed grave concern at the suspended sentence handed down to the rapist of a woman in Co Clare two years ago.
The organisation has called for the development of sentencing guidelines for judges in cases of rape and sexual assault, following the passing of a three-year suspended sentence on Monday to Adam Keane (20) from Darragh near Ennis, Co Clare who raped a mother of three in her home in May 2005.
The DRCC commended Mary Shannon, who earlier this week asked the DPP to appeal the sentence handed down to her attacker, for waiving her right to anonymity in order to fight her case.
Last night 40 people attended a candle-lit rally held in Ennis to support Ms Shannon and vowed to hold further rallies to fight to make mandatory sentencing of rapists an election issue.
Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop, CEO of the DRCC said: "Mary Shannon has shown enormous courage in waiving her right to anonymity this week and will definitely inspire other victims to come forward and report."
She complained that it required crises such as Ms Shannon's case to accelerate reforms she said were "so necessary" to the judicial system and said it was now time for the Oireachtas to take up the challenge to develop sentencing guidelines "so that sentences would be consistent and reflect the seriousness of the offence".
"We need to protect and facilitate victims in their course of getting justice rather than subjecting them to an out-moded system that further traumatises them," said Ms O'Malley-Dunlop.