I got looking through the Irish Citizens Information website and I came across the criminal offence of incest. Turns out the maximum sentence is life imprisonment if you're male and if you're female you only receive a maximum sentence of 7 years.

thegavin · 2014-02-11T01:53:13+00:00

The section in question http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_offences/law_on_sex_offences_in_ireland.html

It's an outrage that the courts would determine the length of the prison sentence simply due to gender.

MattClark0994 · 2014-02-11T03:41:57+00:00

Nothing to see here. Just more male "privilege"

Riktrat · 2014-02-11T08:36:02+00:00

Under the European charter I am not sure this is legal.

All citizens regardless of gender must be treated the same.

YetAnotherCommenter · 2014-02-11T09:53:15+00:00

Things like this highlight why Equality Under Law is still an ideal which must be fought for.

Another interesting point: if religious conservative 'patriarchy' was all about controlling women's sexuality, then why would a hardline Catholic country give women lighter punishments for sexual offenses?

kojinawa · 2014-02-11T07:59:15+00:00

I would have thought this was illegal under EU gender discrimination directives? Maybe write to your parliamentarian and ask them why this law discriminates like this.

5th_Law_of_Robotics · 2014-02-11T16:14:10+00:00

I'm sure irish feminists are working on this as we speak.

chocoboat · 2014-02-11T15:34:24+00:00

What happens if you commit the crime as a male, and then undergo gender reassignment surgery?

Do you get sentenced based on your gender when committing the crime, or your gender when convicted in court?

double-happiness · 2014-02-11T18:01:55+00:00

Irish citizens should also be aware that only teenage boys can continue to be prosecuted for underage sex while teen girls are exempt. The actual statute is here.

Lawtonfogle · 2014-02-11T14:19:56+00:00

The main question is: why should incest even be a criminal offence?
If the sex in question is rape, we already have laws for that.
Society won't break down if you stop criminalising incest, see France where incest has been legal since 1810.

WatashiBakaDesu · 2014-02-11T12:26:38+00:00

I also like how girls under 17 years cannot be prosecuted. You know, because "equality"

definitelyjoking · 2014-02-11T09:07:59+00:00

One thing to note here. This one isn't the work of feminists. Its the work of traditionalists. I think its funny how similar the outcomes look.

Mitthrawnuruodo1337 · 2014-02-11T08:41:54+00:00

I always notice that phrase, usually used in abortion debates and whatnot, "victims of rape or incest." It's like... either your a rape victim which may or may not be incestuous, or you are a perpetrator of incest, not a victim. But what I'm forgetting, of course, is all sex is male-driven.

Revoran · 2014-02-11T04:46:28+00:00

Ireland has some really fucked up laws, yeah. There's a whole lot of hardline Catholic social conservatives there, and they're stuck in the past.

In 2012 a woman died because abortion is 100% illegal in all situations in Ireland, and the hospital would not perform an abortion to save her life.

Edit: Apparently the law has since been changed to allow abortion when the mother's life is in serious danger.

Benjaminbranchaud · 2014-02-15T18:00:35+00:00

This is why this subreddit exists.

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