. ▁She ▁was ▁particularly ▁concerned ▁by ▁the ▁inc idence ▁of ▁domestic ▁violence ▁and ▁sexual ▁assault s ▁both ▁in ▁society ▁and ▁how ▁they ▁were ▁treated ▁by ▁the ▁courts . ▁Men ▁were ▁often ▁treated ▁with ▁len iency ▁and ▁gain ing ▁the ▁vote ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁cru cial ▁step ▁in ▁changing ▁this . ▁D ug gan ▁was ▁the ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁Women ’ s ▁Reform ▁League . ▁They ▁were ▁concerned ▁that ▁any ▁woman ▁brought ▁to ▁court ▁faced ▁a ▁j ury , ▁judge ▁and ▁law y ers ▁who ▁were ▁all ▁men . ▁ ▁Women ▁were ▁bar red ▁from ▁working ▁as ▁law y ers ▁until ▁the ▁Sex ▁Dis qual ification ▁( Rem oval ) ▁Act ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁and ▁were ▁almost ▁never ▁able ▁to ▁serve ▁on ▁jur ies ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁There ▁were ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁cases ▁involving ▁the ▁assault ▁of ▁children ▁including ▁one ▁where ▁the ▁perpet r ator ▁served ▁two ▁weeks ▁for ▁the ▁crime , ▁or ▁another ▁where ▁the ▁charge ▁was ▁not ▁followed ▁through ▁because ▁the ▁victim ▁was ▁ 7 . ▁D ug gan ▁was ▁fur ious ▁when ▁Justice ▁William ▁H ust on ▁D odd ▁instruct ed ▁the ▁all - male ▁j ury ▁to ▁take ▁into ▁account ▁“ the ▁natural ▁and ▁ir res ist ible ▁imp uls es ▁anim ating ▁the ▁man ” ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁She ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁' I r ish ▁Cit izen ' ▁and ▁formed ▁a ▁Cour ts ▁Watch ▁committee ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁public ▁sessions ▁when ▁a ▁woman ▁was ▁in ▁court