Female Sex Offenders in Ireland: Examining the Response of the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

This article focuses on the Irish criminal justice system’s response to female sex offending. As in other jurisdictions, very little attention has been paid to female sexual offending in Ireland. However, sexual offenses involving female offenders are occurring and are increasingly being detected and prosecuted. The article provides an overview of female sex offending in Ireland, offering a discussion of available prevalence statistics and an analysis of Irish cases where women have been convicted of sexual offenses. It is argued that, in light of the fact that women are clearly being convicted of sexual offenses in Ireland, it is timely to question whether current laws and policies on sexual offenses and offenders are equipped to deal with female offenders and what types of reforms are likely to be necessary to effectively respond to this category of sexual offending. The potential for reform is considered with reference to three key stages of the criminal justice process: (a) reporting and detection; (b) prosecution and punishment; and (c) treatment and rehabilitation.