Demonstrators Rally in Support of Nikita Hand After Civil Case Against Conor McGregor

A demonstration involving several hundred individuals took place in Dublin, expressing solidarity with the woman who prevailed in a civil rape lawsuit against Conor McGregor. The preceding Friday, a jury at Dublin’s High Court determined that the mixed martial arts competitor had committed assault against Nikita Hand through rape at a Dublin hotel in December 2018. Subsequently, McGregor was directed to compensate Ms Hand with nearly €250,000 (£206,000) in damages. Natasha O’Brien, known as a prominent victim of an assault perpetrated by an Irish soldier, was among those who addressed the demonstration on Monday evening. Ms O’Brien stated her admiration for Nikita Hand, remarking that Hand’s success in the civil court demonstrated to other victims that “you still have a voice”. ROSA, identified as a socialist feminist organization, arranged the protest as an event coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Participants in the protest proceeded from Dublin city hall, followed the route alongside the River Liffey, and concluded their march at the premises of the Irish director of public prosecutions (DPP) to voice apprehension regarding the absence of a criminal prosecution against McGregor. A more stringent legal standard is required for a criminal proceeding compared to a civil one. In criminal proceedings, the obligation to prove guilt rests on the standard of beyond reasonable doubt, whereas in civil proceedings, it is based on the balance of probabilities. Donna McCarthy, who journeyed from County Kerry to participate in the demonstration, characterized the DPP’s handling of Ms Hand’s situation as “absolutely disgraceful”. She added, “I think they should have taken her case.” McCarthy further stated, “I think women and girls of Ireland, even if we have won our small cases, we have to fight for the rest of them that didn’t actually get there or are not heard.” Deirdre De Feu, another participant, emphasized the significance of being present “because women aren’t feeling safe anywhere in the streets or in the public area or at home”. She concluded, “So the important thing is that we all come together to support any woman in need.” Donna Heaney, representing the survivors’ organization Sisi, asserted that victims require their voices to be heard and their accounts to be credited. She remarked, “The fact that the DPP weren’t able to prosecute this is huge and I’m so glad there was some sort of justice – it wasn’t enough,” adding, “So many victims go through the same thing.” In 2020, the DPP informed Ms Hand that there was “insufficient evidence” to initiate a criminal proceeding and that a reasonable likelihood of conviction was absent. Ms Hand subsequently requested the DPP to re-evaluate this determination, stating her perception of differential treatment due to the celebrity status of one of the individuals involved. When questioned over the weekend regarding the DPP’s choice not to pursue a prosecution, Helen McEntee, the departing Irish justice minister, commented: “We have a very independent system in this country, and I think that’s right.” She further added, “I really think it’s important that we respect that independence.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.