Rape crisis helpline at its busiest on record
The national rape crisis helpline had its busiest year last year with the number getting in touch reaching 12,855.
Run by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) for the whole country, the 24-hour helpline had 500 more phone calls, emails, and texts seeking help than in 2016, and over 1,000 more than in 2015.
Demand for other services provided by the organisation also increased. Therapy was provided for 550 face-to-face clients, an increase of 10% on the previous year, and personnel spent 53 days accompanying survivors to court or garda stations, compared to 37 in 2016.
Personnel also accompanied 251 people to examinations at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda in Dublin and provided 3,883 appointments for counselling and other services.
Angela McCarthy, head of clinical services, said while many people sought help for rapes they hid for years, the nature of the disclosures showed a trend towards reporting attacks earlier.
“Nearly 48% of helpline contacts related to adult rape, compared to 41% of 2016 contacts. Of new clients seen in 2017, 49% had experienced recent rape or sexual assault,” she said.
The organisation’s annual report will be published today at an event to be attended by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. He said it was a privilege to see the vital work being carried out and the way DRCC provided victim-centred services.
“This helps to inform the work of An Garda Síochána and other agencies dealing with these victims,” he said.
DRCC chief executive Noeline Blackwell praised the work of gardaí who are specially trained in the investigation of sexual offences but she said there were not enough of them.
She said when specialists are not available for such sensitive investigations, they could be poorly handled and lead to victims withdrawing and being re-victimised.
“When you combine this with the systematic difficulties of our court system in such trials, it is little wonder that there is such a high drop-out between reporting and trial and even a very low rate of reporting.”
Ms Blackwell’s comments echo those of rape survivor Leona O’Callaghan, who earlier this month tackled the Minister for Justice about the way rape prosecutions are conducted.
She said she “barely made it through” the four years she had to wait for a trial after she made her report to gardaí.
DRCC chairwoman Ann Marie Gill said the organisation is continuing to have a dual focus, delivering supports and services to the victims of sexual offences but also providing training for personnel in other agencies to try to bring about societal change.
“We are working towards a safer society where sexual violence is no longer acceptable or tolerated,” she said.
The national 24-hour helpline is 1800 77 88 88.
