The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) has expressed its "concern and dissatisfaction" at the lack of services being provided at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the Rotunda Hospital.
The DRCC was speaking in the wake of reports that a non-national woman, who was allegedly raped, was made to wait overnight on Saturday last before being taken to a doctor in Drogheda for a forensic examination.
It said it was "dismayed and horrified" to learn of the circumstances of this case and called on medical doctors to offer their services to alleviate the shortfall.
The DRCC said it has been concerned over a period of time about the situation at the unit in the Rotunda Hospital.
"Trained volunteers from the DRCC attend the unit to offer their support to victims of rape and sexual assault and have been expressing their concern and dissatisfaction with the lack of services provided at the Unit," it said.
The Centre blamed the collapse of the service on the difficulty in attracting doctors to take on night and evening work for relatively low rates of pay.
It said: "As a result victims of rape and sexual assault often have to wait days before they can be offered a forensic examination."
"They may also have to spend the night or day without washing before seeing a doctor to preserve the evidence."
The DRCC described the situation as "totally intolerable" and one that adds "greatly to the trauma already experienced by the victims".
It said it was aware that the Department of Health and Children was in the process of putting together a committee to look at the long-term strategy for Sexual Assault Treatment Units.
"However, it is unacceptable that victims of rape and sexual assault should have to experience this intolerable wait and we fear that many will not proceed with the forensic examination in these circumstances," it said.