’I missed my sister’s wedding out of fear’: Shannon survivor speaks out on Victims of Sexual Violence Bill

SHANEDA Daly from Shannon suffered sexual, physical, and mental abuse on an almost basis from the time she was four years old.

The abuser was her father, former prison officer Harry Daly, who was sentenced to 15 years for what he put his daughter through.

In her presentation to the Oireactas committee, which is considering the Victims of Sexual Violence (Civil Protection Orders) Bill, she told the members:

“When sentencing my father to 15 years, the judge also stated that my father was never to contact me again .Unfortunately I was to find out that there was no law to enforce this.

“My father is not only a predator, he is arrogant and thinks he is above any law and would have no problem approaching me. The thought of this makes me feel terrified and that’s why I don’t go out of my home much. I like to stay in home and I know I am safe.

“The anxiety and stress that I go through when having to attend things is so bad that I have missed important things such as family events, including my sister’s wedding.

“This bill would help victims heal quicker and let them know they can legally prevent any contact from their abuser … Let them know that they are safer, let them know that their abuser can’t buy the house next door to them, which is actually happening to a close friend of mine at this moment.

“I personally don’t want to go back to court and get any kind of order of protection as I feel it would more trauma added to my already traumatised life.