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1 in 3 of Irish women experience domestic abuse, OTwo Editor Polly Rogers discusses the need for Jennie's law
Aid acknowledges that 35% of Irish women (more than 1 in 3) experience domestic abuse and that 25% of adult women experience sexual violence from a partner. These disgusting statistics only further reinforce the need for Jennie's Law, which, after much campaigning by the Poole family and the Minister of Justice, was passed by the Dáil Éireann in July of 2026. This registry is to be instated with the hope that information listing perpetrators of domestic violence will lead to the prevention of others unknowingly becoming victims.
Ireland has concerningly high rates of domestic abuse. A study by the Law Society of Ireland reported earlier in 2026 that the sexual offence rate was 43% higher in Ireland when compared to the rest of Europe. This July, the Poole family's work has led to a law being passed. To be known as Jennie's Law - in memory of Jennifer Poole, a young woman whose death could have been prevented if her partner's history had been available to her.
Jennifer, a 24-year-old mother of 2, was murdered in who is now serving a life sentence upon his conviction. His history was unknown to Jennie before they began dating; he had previously served 2 years for violent assault, and his record was littered with separate convictions. Jennie's brother, Jason Poole, has been the driving force behind Jennie's Law. He claims that had this information been available to Jennie, or to the Poole family, she would not have been in the relationship.
Jason's activism is intended to prevent this from happening to others and ensure that Jennie is more than simply a statistic. The enforcement of this law marks a significant change that will impact future generations and their safety in the prevention of domestic violence, and also safeguard children who may experience domestic violence within their home, such as his sister's children, who now have to grow up without their mother, but with the exposure to domestic violence they unfortunately experienced.
As of 2025, 286 women have died violently since the foundation of Woman’s Aid Femicide Watch in 1996.
Of those who were killed due to Femicide (Homicide targeted specifically towards a woman or girl due to their status as a weaker gender) in the last 30 years, 9 out of 10 women knew the killer, and 55% of those murders were by partners or ex-partners.
The formatting of this law is that of a public registrar, allowing all who have been convicted of domestic abuse or violence to be publicly acknowledged. This allows a background check to ensure that any potential partner can be vetted. Similar, but more efficient than Clare's Law, which is in place in the UK. Jennie's law, in comparison to Clare's, or "right to ask", removes limitations that allow information to be instantly obtained without formal application for inquiry or justification.
It also means that those concerned about a friend or family member have the platform to investigate.
While we await the court service's official publication of the details on its instatement, we know this registry will be available online. Those on this list will be uploaded at a judge's discretion, and the details will include their name, age, address, and offence. A Women's Aid spokesperson commented to the University Observer, “A person’s inclusion on the register should be taken seriously, but equally, people should not assume someone is safe simply because they do not appear on it.” Jennie's Law will serve as a resource and should be used alongside the support and advice that are offered by Domestic Violence services.
Convictions that will appear will include murder, rape and sexual assault,
physical and emotional abuse, as well as issues that are imminently concerning in the modern media, such as the unconsented sharing of intimate images and unconsented nonfatal strangulation.
Ireland has recently brought in the proposal of criminalising the possession of violent pornography, specifically with the inclusion of strangulation porn. The aim is to prevent a normalisation of dangerous sexual violence through early accidental exposure to mature and exaggerated content.
While Jennie's Law is not a solution or a way to erase hers or other femicides that have come from domestic abuse, it is a hope that these resources will aid others. If you or a friend is experiencing or has experienced any form of domestic abuse or gender based violence by a partner, there is help and resources available. Visit womensaid.ie or safeireland.ie for more information.