#IBelieveHer – there has been a strong reaction to the Belfast rugby trial verdict

There has been a strong reaction online to the news that Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding have been found not guilty of rape.

The verdict came today after jurors deliberated for three hours and 45 minutes. Jackson and Olding were cleared on all counts while Blane McIlory was found not guilty of exposure and Rory Harrison found not guilty of perverting the course of justice and withholding information. Since the news broke - and in spite of the clear verdict and subsequent statements from the mens' legal teams - many have shown their support for the accuser on social media. Those supporters include charities who work with victims of sexual crimes and Labour Party Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin who said that he, "and thousands of others, believe her." At the time of writing, the hashtag #IBelieveHer was the number one trending topic in Ireland. https://twitter.com/tarastewartdj/status/978963766812512256 https://twitter.com/ClaireAllan/status/978959845696163840 https://twitter.com/TaraFlynn/status/978964343864905728 https://twitter.com/PeterMcGuireIE/status/978966396104331266 https://twitter.com/AodhanORiordain/status/978958200639754240 https://twitter.com/buzzoneill/status/978958398241853441 https://twitter.com/ronronzo/status/978960585185480704 https://twitter.com/TarynDeVere/status/978958820780183552 https://twitter.com/SugarMoonPaula/status/978961954814513158 https://twitter.com/georgieIockhart/status/978961494661586945 https://twitter.com/SarahAMcInerney/status/978962174113714177 If you or anyone you know has been affected by the details of this story, you can contact: Dublin Rape Crisis Centre: 1800 77 8888 Women's Aid: 1800 341 900 Samaritans: 116 123/Text: 087 2609090/email: jo@samaritans.ie Pieta House: 1800 247 247