Primary and secondary school children will be taught about consent and abusive relationships as part of a landmark plan to end violence against women.
It is understood that all schools, regardless of their religious ethos, will roll out the new curriculum.
The reform of relationship and sex education has been announced as part of a new “zero tolerance” plan for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
Under the government’s five-year plan, which has already pledged more than € 360 million, the CSO will regularly conduct national studies on the extent of sexual violence and domestic abuse.
Special judges for cases of rape and domestic abuse are being considered.
Women may have the right to find out if their partner has a violent past, under a register of domestic abuse being considered by gardaí.
Gardaí will get body cameras to help with cases of domestic abuse.
A special public awareness campaign aimed at men and boys is designed to try to help address the underlying causes of violence against women.
The government has also promised to introduce a new law on hate crime, which will include crimes motivated by prejudice against gender. This would mean that some crimes can be prosecuted as hate crimes “where it is motivated by misogyny”.
Paid domestic violence leave will also be rolled out.
The third national strategy for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, will double the number of shelters for domestic abuse from more than 140 to at least 280. However, this will still put Ireland far behind the overtaking. 500 shelters it should have, based on population.
The justice department said it was also working with gardaí to try to develop new forces to enable them to remove the abuser from the family home – allowing the victim and their children to stay in the property if it is safe. to do it.
Planners will be expected to consider how to make public spaces safe, especially for single women, as well as late-night licensed venues.
The plan will also consider the “rationale” for allowing a rape victim’s counseling notes to be used in trials. The Dublin Rape Crisis Center said the use of confidential counseling notes was often used as a weapon against rape victims, making the process of taking their attacker to court much more difficult.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it was important for judges to be able to find a balance and decide what is relevant information for a trial, and what is not.
While Ms McEntee’s department leads the strategy, its delivery involves a number of other government departments, including health, education, defense, housing and culture.
Both the primary and secondary school curricula will be updated to consider consent, coercive control, domestic violence and safe use of the internet.
At the secondary school level, the new junior cycle curriculum is expected to be implemented in September 2023, with the new senior cycle curriculum to be rolled out the following year.
The new primary school curriculum, which will consider health-related education in an age-appropriate way, is expected to be ready for public consultation by 2024, but it is not yet known when it will be introduced.
Asked whether all schools will deliver the new curriculum, regardless of their religious ethos, Education Minister Norma Foley said consultations with schools so far have been “very positive”.
“The crux of the matter is that our schools will ensure that students have access to the information they need,” Ms Foley said.
The new strategy will also set up a new state agency, which will be the first to be dedicated to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was looking forward to the new agency rolling out modern, suitable refuges across the country.
The plan will also consider sexual harassment in workplaces, including creative industries and the Army.
Separately, Ms McEntee said her department is currently considering a proposal to allow those who provide character witnesses for people convicted of sexual assault to be questioned in court.
It came to light this week that 11 character references were provided for a man who was convicted earlier this year of raping and abusing his partner and her son.
Ms McEntee said her personal opinion is that anyone who provides a character witness for someone convicted of sexual assault should be willing to “come to court”.
She added that her department was also considering the link between pornography and violence against women, with the minister saying that pornography had become “more violent”, “more destructive” and “changed relationships”.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Center welcomes what it describes as an “ambitious” strategy.
Ireland’s National Women’s Council said it was “the most important strategy” to end violence against women and for women’s equality.
Safe Ireland, an umbrella organization for domestic violence services, welcomed the strategy’s decision to consider children as both witnesses and victims of domestic abuse.