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Woman who waived right to anonymity after being raped hopes others will do the same

A woman who waived her right to anonymity after being raped two years ago says she hopes her acti...
Newstalk
Newstalk

09.39 20 Jun 2017


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Woman who waived right to anon...

Woman who waived right to anonymity after being raped hopes others will do the same

Newstalk
Newstalk

09.39 20 Jun 2017


Share this article


A woman who waived her right to anonymity after being raped two years ago says she hopes her actions will help other survivors to come forward.

Dominique Meehan spoke after Keith Hearne, who is from Tallaght, was sentenced to 12 years in jail for her rape at a gaming convention.

On July 4th 2015, she was preparing a meeting room for a presentation as part of the Arcade-Con gaming convention she was volunteering at in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown.

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The court heard 28-year-old Hearne locked the door, rugby tackled her to the ground, tied her hands behind her back with his tie and raped her.

The attack only stopped when someone used a key card to gain entry to the room after hearing her screams for help.

There was a round of applause in court when the sentence was handed down on Monday.

Ms Meehan says every aspect of her life has been changed by her ordeal.

She told Newstalk Breakfast she does not regret speaking publicly - and she hopes that others will be able to do the same.

"I lived with friends in Letterkenny, but I had to move home to my parents, I couldn't take care of myself - I was suicidal, I was self-harming.

"I eventually had to spend a week in a psychiatric ward in Letterkenny.

"Even now... I'm on constant alert always.

"I'm studying game design in Letterkenny IT, and it's full of men. So I had to learn how to deal with men I didn't know again only about four months after my attack.

"I can't explain... literally every facet of my life has changed".

"I was ecstatic that this monster was going away for 12 years.

But to be frank, it's not a long time... he is going to be out on the streets in 12 years.

"A rape does carry the maximum sentence of life - in my opinion he should have been given life, he should not be out on the streets".

Additional reporting: Frank Greaney


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