One woman has begun a campaign, asking the justice minister to look into changing the law regarding re-offending of sexual or violent crimes.

26 US states have a recidivism law, meaning if a person commits three of these crimes they are given a sentence of between 25 years to life without parole.

The law is known as the 'three strikes' law.

Debbie Cole was raped back in June 1989, and the case went on for some two and a half years.

"The guy that raped me...was pleading not guilty, then at the first day of the trial when the charges were read out he plead guilty", she told Newstalk Lunchtime.

"He was remanded for sentencing and during the time he was in Mountjoy waiting on sentencing, the guard that was dealing with the case...had come over to the flat that I was living in in Ballymun - and had told me this sob story about this guy that had raped me".

"I was only 19, it made me feel really bad, we've all mistakes with drink on us, is what I was thinking", she said.

Ms Cole then spoke in court on her attacker's behalf, asking the judge not to sentence him to prison but to get him help.

Then in 1997, he was sentenced to jail time again for attacking "a few different women", Ms Cole said.

And last January, it is believed he served further time in prison for another offence against a woman.

Ms Cole told Newstalk Lunchtime his other victims could have been saved.

Hear her full interview below: