Women are sharing photos of their G-strings on social media, after reports jurors were encouraged to consider a teenager's choice of underwear during a rape trial in Ireland.

Key points: An Irish MP drew attention to the case in parliament by holding up a lacy G-string

An Irish MP drew attention to the case in parliament by holding up a lacy G-string She asked the Government to do more to stop "routine victim blaming in Irish courts"

She asked the Government to do more to stop "routine victim blaming in Irish courts" People are protesting on the streets of Dublin and posting images of their underwear on Twitter

Irish MP Ruth Coppinger drew attention to the case in Parliament this week by holding up a lace G-string and declaring more needed to be done about the "routine victim blaming going on in Irish courts".

"It might seem embarrassing to show a pair of thongs here … how do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in a court?" she asked.

A 27-year-old man was acquitted of raping a 17-year-old girl in the case, after his barrister drew attention to the teen's G-string during closing statements.

"Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone?" senior counsel Elizabeth O'Connell said, according to a report by the Irish Examiner.

"You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front."

'Clothes, fake tan, contraception used to discredit women'

Sorry, this video has expired Irish politician holds up lace thong in Parliament

According to Ms Coppinger, this is not the first time underwear has been used as evidence within a rape trial in Ireland.

"We've seen recently clothes, fake tan, even contraception being used to discredit women who have the bravery to go to court," she said.

Ms Coppinger said the barrister's comments insinuated the teen was "asking for it" and called on people to protest across the country.

Later, hundreds of people shouted "clothes are not consent" as they marched along a main street in Dublin, some waving G-strings in the air.

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On local radio, a presenter declared she had never seen a pair of men's underwear waved around in court.

"I've never seen a pair of Y-fronts in court, I've never seen a pair of boxer shorts in court, and I've never heard that a man's intentions has been judged on his underwear," she said.

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Photos of G-strings and lacy underwear also flooded social media under the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent.

Many posted photos of multiple pairs of underwear, saying none of them were an "invitation".

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Irish PM warns not to interfere

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar responded directly to Ms Coppinger in Parliament, saying victims of sexual violence were never to blame for the crimes committed on them.

"Nobody asks to be raped and it's never the victim's fault. It doesn't matter what you wear, where you went, who you went with, or what you took, whether it was drugs or alcohol," he said.

"And I believe any defence on those lines is absolutely reprehensible."

But he warned politicians could not interfere in the way individual court cases were conducted.