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Gender Based Violence 

Gender-based violence against women shall mean violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately( (Article 3, Istanbul convention) It applies to all incidents where gender is the basis for sexual violence, violence and harassment. 

Sexual Harassment  

Sexual Harassment includes any act of physical intimacy, request for sexual favours, other act or conduct including spoken words, gestures or the production, display or circulation of written words, picture or other material that is unwelcome, violates a person’s dignity and could reasonably be regarded as sexually offensive, humiliating or intimidating. A single incident can constitute sexual harassment. 

Sexual Violence  

Sexual Violence covers a broad range of inappropriate and unwanted behaviours of a sexual nature without consent. It is often gender targeted and perpetrated to demean, diminish, intimidate and instil fear. Sexual violence may occur between strangers or acquaintances, including people involved, or formerly involved, in an intimate or sexual relationship. It includes behaviours such as assualt, attempted assault, rape, non-fatal strangulation, stalking, coercive control, grooming gaslighting, cat-fishing, online sexual abuse, AI generated materials and all online sexual abuse materials. 

Stalking

Stalking is a pattern of fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated behaviour that causes distress or fear. Stalking can happen with or without a fear of violence. Stalking can be perpetrated by anyone, including intimate partners or ex-intimate partners, someone who wishes to be an intimate partner, family members, acquaintances, work colleagues, classmates and strangers. Stalking is now a crime under the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023.

Examples of stalking behaviour:

• Persistent and repeated following, watching, monitoring, tracking or spying either online or in person.
• Repeated requests for engagement in sexual or intimate behaviour.
• Threats of harm to a person or to self if person doesn’t oblige or engage.
• Threats of harm to or destruction of reputation.
• Impersonating a person online or in person.
• Disclosure of private information to other people without permission.
• Loitering near a person’s home, work and social environments.
• Interference with email, phone communications or online activity.
• Breaching a court order that prohibits communication.

Domestic violence, intimate partner violence and Coercive Control

• Any incident or pattern of behaviour knowingly used to dominate, manipulate and exert power, fear and control between those who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
• This term is often associated with domestic violence and is recognised as a form of psychological, sexual, emotional, physical and/or financial abuse.
• It often occurs online and includes cyber-surveillance and impersonation of a person.
• Coercive control typically involves a wide range of behaviours focused at diminishing a person’s autonomy and independence, making them feel trapped, fearful and unable to escape the abusive relationship.
• Coercive control is a criminal offence in Ireland under the Domestic Violence Act 2018 (section 39). 

Online Sexual Violence

In Ireland the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco's law is an act dealing with non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images, and cyberbullying. This law makes it illegal to distribute, publish or threaten to distribute or publish an intimate image/video without consent with intent to cause harm or being reckless as to whether harm is caused and all grossly offensive and/or threatening communication about or to another person.

It also includes:

• Cyberstalking - repeated and deliberate use of internet and/or social media sites to engage in persistent, unwanted communication intended to frighten, intimidate or harass someone or spy on them.
• Image Based Sexual Abuse – recording, sharing or saving sexual or intimate photos or videos without the person’s consent.
• Deep fakes, AI and Nudify app production of images and/or videos without knowledge or consent.
• Upskirting – filming or photographing under a person’s clothes without their permission.
• Sextortion - Sextortion is a form of cyber extortion involving a threat or blackmail of having intimate information, images or clips shared without consent.  The threat or blackmail may be to get the victim to do or refrain from doing something, or the threat or blackmail may be purely for money or financial gain. It occurs in a number of ways:
• During a relationship or where a relationship has broken down – either partner can be the victim
• During online activity, sharing intimate images with another online partner, either strangers or people known to you
• Sharing of images on messaging apps
• Juveniles involved in the sharing of intimate images, in addition to being open to potential sextortion and online bullying, the sharing of any intimate image of a juvenile is Child Sexual Abuse Material.

Non-fatal Strangulation or Non-fatal Suffocation

The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, added to the Non -fatal Offences against the Person’s Act 1997 to make these official charges. The amendment makes it illegal to Intentionally or recklessly strangle or suffocate someone, or impede their breathing, also now a serious harm offense if non-fatal strangulation/suffocation causes serious harm. 

Find out more: Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment | Reporting | TU Dublin

For Students 

• Student Counselling Service
• TU Dublin Student Health Centres
• TU Dublin SU: Welfare & Equality
• Student Wellbeing
• Pastoral Care & Chaplaincy 
• Contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Manager: Catherine Bolger directly at 087 3415570 or at Consent@Tudublin.ie

 

For Staff 

Our dedicated workplace Wellbeing Support Hub offers staff a range of internal and external supports and resources.  

TU Dublin offers its employees and families an Employee Assistance Service (EAS) which is a free and confidential counselling and information service operated by Spectrum Life. The service is available 24 hours per day, 365 days per annum. To avail of the service, please contact Spectrum Life as follows: 

• Call freephone: 1800 814 243
• Text: WhatsApp ‘Hi’ to 087 369 0010 or SMS ‘Hi’ to 087 145 2056
• Email an enquiry to the specialist information service at eap@spectrum.life
• Dignity and Respect Contact Colleagues

• Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC):
  • 24 hr Helpline: 1800 77 888 
• Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (S.A.T.U):
  • 01 817 1736 Mon-Fri 9-4.30pm
  • 01 817 1700 (Outside of these hours) 
• An Garda Siochana:
  • Emergency: 999 or 112
  • Garda Confidential: 1800 666 

• For all issues relating to Gender or Sexual Violence, contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Manager: Catherine Bolger 
  • Consent@tudublin.ie
  • 087 3415570

• Relating to a student:
  • The Student Disciplinary Procedures
  • The IT Acceptable Usage Policy 

• Relating to a staff member:
  • Dignity & Respect at Work Policy

• Make an anonymous report: make an anonymous report using the Speak Out Anonymous Reporting Tool. The Speak Out reporting tool is completely anonymous, but signposts you to all support services.