Since Ashling Murphy was murdered three years ago in a horrific crime which shocked the nation, a total of 26 other women have died violently in Ireland – most were killed by men they knew.
Around 13% of femicides victims in Ireland are, like tragic Ashling, attacked by strangers at random according to Women’s Aid. CEO of Women’s Aid in Ireland Sarah Benson said women are not any safer since Ashling’s shocking death.
The 23-year-old teacher was murdered while out jogging along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly on January 12, 2022 and the man who killed her, Slovak Jozef Puska, is serving a life sentence for the crime.
But he has never given an explanation as to why he attacked her. He followed a number of women in Tullamore on his bicycle on the day of the murder before stabbing Ashling 11 times in the neck, the Irish Mirror reports.
Statistics show most of those who die in violent circumstances are killed by someone they were in a relationship with at some point. Sarah Benson said: “Women in Ireland are not any safer since Ashling’s death. I know of women who will not go jogging on their own since she lost her life and will only run with friends.
“They shouldn’t have to do that, they should be able to jog on their own but they don’t feel safe enough to do so. The problem is how do you define a man walking down the street.
“You don’t know whether he is violent or is going to attack you or not. There are no clear signs somebody will attack you and then suddenly it happens.”
A number of reports from the Central Statistic Office and Eurostat show that one in four women in this country suffer domestic or sexual violence. The level of domestic and sexual abuse is still very high and not reducing. A further 35% of women also suffer psychological abuse or coercion from their partner.
Ms Benson said that recent research has shown there is a real masculine and domineering attitude among young Irish men towards women which is a major problem. However, there is a far more moderate attitude among older men towards women and they see women more as equals.
She said: “Young boys are not born into this world to be domineering and violent and women are not born to be submissive. Yet there is a real masculine view among young men towards women fuelled by social media and pornography.
“The recent Conor McGregor civil rape action was a prime example and the amount of abuse given to the victim Nikita Hand who had the courage to stand up for herself and go to court in the first place.
“The amount of abuse Nikita received from young men was shocking and just showed the attitude out there. She was very brave in what she did.”