Manosphere on trial Why McGregor rape verdict could be a watershed moment on male violence

The ruling made headlines across Ireland and around the world, sending women spilling into the streets of Dublin with signs that read: "Thank you Nikita."

- Ashifa Kassam Lisa O'Carroll

Borrowing the slogan made famous by Gisèle Pelicot, whose ex-husband is on trial in France for raping her and inviting other men to do the same, some declared: "Shame must change sides."

Days after a civil court jury in Ireland ordered the mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor to pay nearly €250,000 (£208,000) over claims that he had "brutally raped and battered" Nikita Hand, the case has prompted calls for a rethink of how society interacts with power, wealth and a global manosphere intent on pushing its own notions of masculinity.

The roots of the case trace back to 2018 and a Dublin hotel penthouse, where Hand accused McGregor of raping her after she had invited him to join her and a friend at a work Christmas party.

For two weeks a jury heard Hand's harrowing testimony: a paramedic who had examined her the next day told the court that she hadn't seen such severe bruising for a long time; a psychiatrist diagnosed her with PTSD and said that Hand had been unable to return to work as a hairdresser after being gripped with night terrors, panic attacks and anxiety.

McGregor, a former star with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, denied the allegations, saying that he had had "fully consensual sex" with Hand and she had concocted the assault to cover her cheating on her then boyfriend. He has said he will appeal against the jury's decision.

Heard in the high court of Dublin, the case sent shockwaves around the world, including the US, where McGregor has a huge following. Many in Ireland lined up behind Hand. The justice minister hailed her courage, while a series of businesses and Dublin and Cork airports stopped selling products associated with McGregor.