Calls to rape crisis helpline see marked increase

Calls to a rape crisis helpline in Ireland increased by 500 last year, figures indicate.

A total of 12,855 calls were fielded by the 24-hour service run by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre – around 48% of which were related to claims of adult rape.

The total was outlined in the centre’s annual report for 2017, which was published on Monday.

Last year, centre personnel accompanied 251 people to the sexual assault treatment unit at Dublin’s Rotunda hospital.

Assisted by additional funding from the child and family agency Tusla, the centre also provided face-to-face therapy for 550 clients – an increase of 10% on 2016.

The facility also provided support on 53 days to people who were making a criminal complaint either at a Garda station or in court.

The centre delivered 3,883 appointments in 2017, mostly in Dublin city centre but also through outreach services at Coolock Civic Centre, the Dochas Centre for women prisoners at Mountjoy prison and in Tallaght Hospital.

The centre’s head of clinical services Angela McCarthy said: “We are continuing to see an increase in the number of callers and clients who have experienced recent rape and sexual assault.

“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.”

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris will later attend the launch of the report at the centre’s offices in Dublin.

He described their work as “vital” in “providing victims of serious sexual assault with victim centred services”.

“This [report] helps to inform the work of An Garda Siochana and other agencies dealing with these victims,” he said.

The centre said its training work had a role to play in the achievement of “societal change” as well as equipping others to deal with those who have suffered sexual violence.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chairwoman Ann Marie Gill said: “This report not only shows that we were exceptionally busy in 2017, but that we continued to have a dual focus to ensure that those who suffer sexual violence get the support that they need and deserve and also to ensure that we are working towards a safer society where sexual violence is no longer acceptable or tolerated.”

The Centre’s CEO Noeline Blackwell said: “We are pleased to be launching this report during the annual international campaign of Sixteen Days of Activism against Violence against Women.

“While we support and provide services to people of all genders, it is noteworthy that sexual violence is predominantly perpetrated against women and girls.

“This means that there needs to be a particular emphasis on eliminating or at least reducing the level of sexual violence against them.”

Ms Blackwell commended the “good work” done by garda who are fully trained in the investigation of sexual offences.

However, she said there was a lack of specialist units or investigators to deal with cases.

She said investigations, when poorly handled, could lead to victims withdrawing from the criminal justice system and being re-victimised by the experience.

“When you combine this with the systemic difficulties of our court system in such trials, it is little wonder that there is such a high rate of drop-out between reporting and trial and even a very low rate of reporting,” she added.

The national 24-hour helpline number can be reached on 1800 77 88 88.