The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) has described a suspended sentence handed down to a rapist at the Central Criminal Court this week as "simply extraordinary" and "bizarre".
Alluding to a separate case in which a man received a 15-year sentence for rape, RCNI executive director Fiona Neary said she recognised that Mr Justice Paul Carney had to work within a particular legal framework but she could not see the logic for the huge disparity between the two sentences.
"It is simply extraordinary that in one day, one man would receive a 15-year sentence while the other would get a suspended sentence. In both cases the women were raped by men who broke into their homes. It's very difficult to see the logic there."
Ms Neary said she was concerned about the message the suspended sentence sent out.
"This sends a very dangerous message to sexual predators and the victims of sexual violence. Sexual predators could very easily interpret this as meaning that if they're drunk enough they won't be held accountable."
She was concerned the sentence might make other women reluctant to come forward.
"This was a very serious crime which certainly did not warrant a suspended sentence."
Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright and her party colleague Senator Sheila Terry said mandatory sentences for rapists must be introduced and urged the DPP to appeal the suspended sentence. They said that the suspended sentence gave rapists the message that they could avoid a jail sentence for their crime.
"Rape victims, and particularly women, have to overcome numerous barriers if they decide to press charges. So for a judge to ignore a rape victim's bravery by imposing a suspended sentence on the assailant simply beggars belief."
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