RCNI Press Release - 13 September 2011

Rape Crisis Director calls on Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, to take action on children with sexual harmful behaviour.

Fiona Neary, RCNI Executive Director said, ‘High proportions of sexual crimes against children are committed by other children. If we only protect children from adults and strangers we risk leaving children vulnerable. The 2009 RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics Report –which is the most comprehensive and reliable data set on sexual violence in Ireland – found that 13.7% of perpetrators of first incident child sexual abuse were siblings likely to be close in age to the victimised child.

‘We must not dismiss nor minimise the severity of abuse simply because the perpetrator is close in age to the victim. Children and teenagers need to feel that they will be taken seriously when they report sexual crimes against them. The numbers of children attending rape crisis centres for support continues to increase. RCCs now support more children than any other non-statutory service in Ireland. 2010 RCNI statistics, to be released in November, will provide even greater detail on the age of perpetrators of sexual violence and their relationship to the victim. This will reveal significant evidence of child perpetration of all sexual violence reported to Rape Crisis Centres.’

RCNI today welcome the Garda Diversion Programme Report (released 12th September) which highlights youth sex offenders. RCNI urge immediate action to address child sex offending, including the implementation of the NOTA 2008 report recommendations and the building of effective multiagency responses.

Fiona Neary went on to say, ‘In addition to the resources being put into the Garda diversion programme a supporting multiagency response is necessary to prevent children committing abuse and to address quickly and effectively a child’s sexual harmful behaviour. The evidence shows that child offenders can be responsive to an effective treatment programme. Directing resources at this point is likely to result in prevention.’


Notes:

NOTA Ireland Research Closing the Gaps: Services in Ireland for Those with Harmful Sexual Behaviour (December 2008) amongst its conclusions:

‘(i) The type and range of Irish services currently being offered is geographically inconsistent. Areas of excellent practice exist alongside areas of non-standardised and non evidence-based practice. There are also examples of entirely inappropriate practice, e.g. Risk assessment tools for adults being used invalidly with adolescents.’
Amongst its recommendations:

‘It is NOTA Ireland’s view that the current lack of a systematic approach in assessing, treating and rehabilitating those who have exhibited sexually harmful behaviour runs counter to effective Child Protection Practice…’

‘No national body exists to ensure the strategic provision of services for this client group, as evidenced by the absence of a national monitoring system to track the numbers of children, adolescents and adults who present harmful sexual behaviour. A lack of nationally recognised and accredited standards in assessment, treatment and specialist residential placement leave clients vulnerable to inconsistent practice.’


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Clíona Saidléar