Three members of the armed forces dismissed for domestic or sexual violence

Three members of the armed forces have been dismissed since 2016 due to domestic, sexual or gender-based violence – a reflection of the “culture of misogyny” in the organisation.

The figures include Cathal Crotty, who was released earlier this month after being convicted of the brutal and unprovoked attack on Limerick woman Natasha O’Brien in 2022.

One member was fired in 2017 for a sexual offense, another in 2023 for domestic violence.

As the Irish Examiner reports, the figures were given in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Micheál Martin.

Ms Cairns said the figures were deeply worrying and raised further questions for the Government and the armed forces.

In June, Mr Martin told the Dáíl that 68 currently serving members of the armed forces had been convicted of a crime in the past three years or were currently before the courts.

Of these, around six cases relate to domestic incidents or violations of restraining orders and a further five relate to sexual assault.

About 24 cases involve physical assault in general, but it is not yet known whether some of these are gender-specific incidents.

Ms Cairns said she would seek clarity on these details.

Ms Cairns said it was shocking but not surprising that three members had been dismissed for domestic, sexual or gender-based violence.

She said it spoke to the culture of misogyny and bullying that has been able to rage unchecked within the armed forces for years, as the Women of Honour have demonstrated.

“The latest figures show that a fundamental transformation of the armed forces and adequate oversight of existing procedures cannot come soon enough.”

In his response, Mr Martin expressed his “unequivocal condemnation of all forms of gender-based violence”.