A survivor of sexual violence says the fear of being pregnant in Ireland as a result of rape was unbearable.

Niamh Ni Dhomhnaill has joined the Together for Yes campaign to repeal the 8th amendment and legislate for abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The disclosure of sexual violence must be on the individual's terms: when they are ready, and using words they are comfortable with. The exclusion of any rape clause in abortion legislation is important for this reason. https://t.co/EkYRuFihv8 — Niamh Ni Dhomhnaill (@Niamh_Ni_D) April 5, 2018

Ms Ni Dhomhnaill didn't know she was being raped by her boyfriend Magnus Meyer Hustveit while she slept, over the course of a year.

She was only made aware of the crime when he admitted it in an email. In 2015 Mr. Meyer Hustveit was handed a 7 year suspended sentence.

This resulted in Niamh Ni Dhomhnaill waving her right to anonymity to campaign against the leniency of the sentence. In 2016, following an appeal, he was was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

'The first thing that came to my mind was, "what if I'm pregnant as a result of rape?" And although I was lucky that that wasn't what materialised, I still remember that fear'

She added, 'The experience of sexual violence is already incredibly isolating, so the fear of being pregnant due to rape in a country that is so unsupportive of pregnancies that are in anyway problematic; that for me was unbearable. And I'm conscious that there are any amount of women that are affected by this issue'.

Together For Yes has launched a position paper saying that the removal of the 8th amendment will allow for the provision of compassionate, non-judgmental care to women and girls who are pregnant as a result of rape.

Voting Yes to Repeal and giving access to abortion in early pregnancy up to 12 weeks will impact positively on women affected by rape and domestic abuse by giving them access to safe and regulated compassionate and non-judgemental healthcare in Ireland. @Womens_Aid #together4yes — Together for Yes (@Together4yes) April 5, 2018





