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Sexual history applications on the first day of trial are “a major barrier to access to justice”

October 5, 2026

Beyond Surviving founder Ciara Mangan spoke to Mayo News after the publication of independent research by Dr Sinéad Ring (Maynooth University), supported by Rape Crisis Ireland, on how section 3 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1981 is used in Irish sexual offence trials. The report found that 39% of sexual offence trials in 2025 involved an application to admit sexual history evidence.

Ciara described the report as “a welcomed insight into what survivors are up against in their pursuit of justice and accountability, which should serve to inform reform” of this area of law. She explained: “We know from our own survey report at Beyond Surviving that the intrusion of one’s privacy in the courtroom, and the mere anticipation of such, is a deep concern for survivors. Survivors tell us they often feel powerless to protect their dignity in court, affecting their decisions to engage meaningfully in the criminal justice system.”

Ciara continued: “When applications are made on the first day of trial, survivors have no time to understand what’s being sought, prepare, or get support,” adding: “That is a major barrier to access to justice. We welcome this report and want to see reform that gives survivors clear, early information and genuine, fair opportunities to engage in a process that holds great power over their lives.”

Beyond Surviving Community Member Voices

One said: “I find using any of the victims’ sexual history in a court absolutely abhorrent and completely unacceptable.” Another drew a comparison with fraud cases: “It’s another strand of victim blaming in sexual assault cases that has no place in the justice system in 2026. If you change the word ‘rape’ to ‘fraud’ and think about someone who was defrauded giving evidence in court against the fraudster, asking someone where else they spent money, or their financial history, seems utterly outrageous, and irrelevant to them being defrauded. Of course it wasn’t their fault. Why is rape different?”

You can read the Mayo News interview here.

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