Everyone called on to do their part

A Leeside advocate for women’s safety has called upon every member of the public to do their part in preventing violence after a young woman was assaulted in Cork city.

Speaking with the Cork Independent, Mary Crilly, Director of the Sexual Violence Centre Cork said gardaí and volunteers need the public’s help to tackle violence.

“The shock of the Ashling Murphy has subsided but the violence continues and it’s up to every individual to call out all forms of violence. The gardaí and voluntary sector can’t do it alone,” she said.

Ms Crilly’s words come following a seemingly random attack on a girl in her 20s on Saturday night in the city.

The violent assault took place on Evergreen Street near the South Gate Bridge at approximately 11.30pm last Saturday 29 January.

The South Gate Bridge connects busy pedestrian and driving routes such as Barrack Street and French’s Quay to the city centre.

The woman was reported to have suffered a number of injuries and she was taken to CUH for treatment.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “No arrests have been made at this stage of the investigation however gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry.”

Saturday’s attack was followed by a shocking assault and attempted abduction of a 17 year old girl in Kilkenny on Monday.

The attack happened in a narrow country lane in a rural part of the county. Gardaí later confirmed they were searching for a man in relation to the assault. A manhunt was undertaken in the area in the days following the assault.

Gender-based violence

Attention on the debate surrounding women’s safety in modern society was refocused last month when 23 year old primary school teacher Ashling Murphy was murdered in broad daylight while out jogging in the town of Tullamore in Offaly.

A man in his 30s was arrested by gardaí after he presented at Dublin hospital with a number of injuries.

Since Ms Murphy’s death, thousands of people have attended vigils in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London and New York.

Her brutal murder has been likened to that of 33 year old marketing executive Sarah Everard in the UK last year.

Sarah Everard’s murder sparked much public outrage and calls for more to be done for women’s safety.

Her killer, Met Police officer Wayne Couzens was sentenced to life in prison for her murder.

Ms Everard had been walking home from a friend's house in south London at around 9.30pm last March when she was abducted.

Police believe the choice of victim was random but that the attack itself was carefully planned.