Sir, – One of the features of any rape crisis centre in Ireland is that each of them provides confidential, safe, non-judgmental spaces and supports for survivors of sexual violence to heal and regain the confidence, strength and capacity to cope that has been battered and damaged by that violence.
Our centres offer therapeutic and counselling services. In addition, we offer psychological and emotional support to those who engage with the health and justice systems, at sexual assault treatment units, for those who are reporting at Garda stations, and those who are attending court to give evidence.
All of our services are survivor-centred and survivor-led.
A report in The Irish Times ("Garda presence in rape crisis centres may encourage reporting", News, December 16th) seems to have raised questions in some people's minds that gardaí might be working out of rape crisis centres.
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This categorically is not the case.
For our centres, the initiative under discussion by An Garda Síochána would be a facility to allow a survivor who had questions about whether or not to report to meet a garda in a non-station setting and to have an informal chat about the difficult reporting process, anonymously if the survivor wished. It might extend in time to a situation when a survivor might invite the garda to attend at a centre so that they could give their statement in an easier setting for the survivor.
Contact with a garda would always, always be survivor-led and survivor-focused.
We would be grateful if you could clarify this in case anyone has any level of unease about our non-judgmental, survivor-centred services.
This is also an opportunity to remind people that the National 24-Hour Helpline, run out of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, at 1800 77 88 88, is available to anyone concerned or uneasy.
We wish all survivors of sexual violence peace and ease this Christmas. – Yours, etc,
NOELINE BLACKWELL,
Chief Executive,
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre,
CATHY CONNOLLY;
Executive Director,
Galway Rape Crisis Centre;
DAVID MADDEN,
Chief Executive,
Sligo Rape Crisis Centre;
MARY CRILLY,
Sexual Violence
Centre, Cork;
CLARE WILLIAMS,
Manager,
Wexford Rape
Crisis Centre.