Cork support service: 'Many don't report online abuse out of fear'

There have been more than 250 incidents of harmful communication — the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and cyberbullying — reported to gardaí in Cork since 2021.

However, the chief executive of a Cork support service believes many people are not reporting the offences, because they are either unaware of the legislation or are “in a fear state” as a result of the abuse.

The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco’s Law, was named after Nicole ‘Coco’ Fox who tragically died by suicide in 2018 after enduring years of severe physical and online bullying.

As a result of the 2021 law, the recording, distribution, or publication of intimate images is now an offence. The law also allows for the anonymity of victims of those offences.

The distribution, publication, or sending of threatening or grossly offensive communications are also offences.

Details provided by An Garda Síochána show there were 251 such incidents recorded in Cork, 135 in Cork city and 116 in Cork county, between February 9, 2021 and December 31, 2025.

Nationally, there were 1,838 reports of this incident category during the five-year period, meaning Cork represented nearly 14% of reports.

MaryClare Clark, the CEO of West Cork Beacon, which supports women experiencing domestic abuse, told that such abuse is sometimes perpetrated by strangers, but for the harassment Beacon deals with, it’s almost always someone the victim knows.

“The people we talk with are usually victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse,” she said. “They are in acute psychiatric distress, and the digital abuse follows them.

“They might withdraw from work or school and avoid specific places so they don’t run into that person, but they can’t even feel safe in their own space or online.”

She said of the 251 reports in Cork: “It’s a very low number compared to the amount of people we meet who have experienced this. We have helped at least 100 clients in this position over the last five years, but lots don’t report it.

“They can be in a fear state that they can’t break out of, or many might not be aware of Coco’s Law. We educate people on what their rights are, but it can be difficult for them to make those reports because they feel like not a lot gets resolved when they do, that they’re going to be dragged through the mud in court and the outcome won’t make them feel any safer.”

UCC criminal law lecturer Catherine O’Sullivan said the legislation was very progressive and ahead of the curve. But it must balance the desire to keep the definition of an offence broad enough to enable it to capture situations not yet envisaged, but not so vague as to be unconstitutional.