MORE THAN half of all the adults seeking help from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre last year who had been recently assaulted had been assaulted by a stranger, according to the centre’s annual report.
The centre’s 2008 report shows 51 per cent of its adult clients had been raped or sexually assaulted by someone they had not known before the day or night of the incident. This represents an increase of 30 percentage points in eight years and it is the first time the rate has gone above 50 per cent.
It compares with 48 per cent in 2007 and 2006, 37 per cent in 2005 and 2004 and 21 per cent in 2000.
“In a way I have been looking at this figure of 51 per cent with disbelief,” said the centre’s head of clinical services, Angela McCarthy, at the publication.
“It is quite shocking, but it has to be acknowledged and it is a trend we have been observing. It does go against everything we are told and are trained to know – that you are more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted by someone you know.”
Though it was no more or less horrific to be assaulted or raped by someone known, the trend towards “stranger rape” was disturbing, she said.
“It is difficult to know why this is happening, and it may be connected to increasing violence generally. I think in our next report we will have to do a more detailed analysis of places, situation and time.”
The report also indicates more violence is accompanying sexual assault, with 38 per cent of clients reporting physical and psychological violence, as well as intimidation, accompanying sexual assault and rape – an increase of 5 per cent on 2007.
The centre received 12,741 calls to its 24-hour helpline in 2008, 45 per cent of which related to adult rape and 45 per cent to child rape. Other calls were due to sexual assault, drug rape, ritual abuse and suspected abuse.
Some 86 per cent of callers were female, and 14 per cent male.
Chief executive Mary-Ellen Dunlop said there was a need for further research into sexual violence in Ireland, to follow up the 2002 Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (SAVI) report. “We need the commitment of Government to fund the research,” she said. This would cost between €800,000 and €1 million.
The services of the centre were more in demand than ever, particularly after publication of the Ryan report in May.
“We experienced an increase the like of which we had never experienced before, even after the Ferns report. Some of the stories were on a scale of horror the like of which shattered and wiped out even seasoned, experienced counsellors,” Ms Dunlop said.
The centre had been forewarned about “further atrocities” uncovered in the Inquiry into the Dublin Archdiocese. “We expect this report to be published in the early autumn. Our services will again be in great demand and we need emergency funding in order to be able to deliver the services,” said Ms Dunlop.
Though grateful for support from the HSE, she said the centre had had a two and half per cent cut in its grant for this year, after a grant freeze for three years. Though the centre had been able to seek help from the public in the past, this was less likely to be available in the current climate.
24-hour Rape Crisis Centre Helpline 1800 77 8888
