New laws to protect victims of domestic violence come into effect from today.
The Domestic Violence Act 2018 includes the creation of the new offence of coercive control.
That refers to psychological abuse in an intimate relationship that causes "fear of violence, or serious alarm or distress that has a substantial adverse impact on a person’s day-to-day activities".
Other protections introduced include an "extensive" list of factors that courts must consider when dealing with applications for domestic violence orders, and emergency barring orders for victims when there's an "immediate risk" of significant harm.
There's also a new criminal offence of forced marriage being introduced, while safety orders will be available to people who are in intimate relationships but not cohabiting.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said the new laws are a "major step" towards Ireland ratifying the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
He explained: “For too long, domestic violence has been seen primarily as physical abuse. The new offence of coercive control recognises that the effect of non-violent control in an intimate relationship can be as harmful to victims as physical abuse because it is an abuse of the unique trust associated with an intimate relationship.
"Another important provision will ensure that an intimate relationship between victim and perpetrator must be regarded as an aggravating factor in sentencing for a wide range of offences."
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, meanwhile, says the Act is a hugely important step forward.
CEO Noeline Blackwell observed: "Before, you had to use other crimes such as assault or coercion or blackmail... you now have a specific crime of domestic violence, which is called coercive control.
"While we have had laws around domestic violence, we've never had a piece of legislation before that concentrates on the totality of domestic violence - which goes right through from physical assault, through financial and emotional abuse [and] sexual violence."
