Press Release - 16 June 2010

The RCNI welcome the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre report released today which shows that the DRCC helpline received 14,289 calls. When you add the number of calls from other Rape Crisis helplines nationwide to this we can see that the national picture shows a staggering total of approximately 25,959 calls in 2009.

Susan Miner, RCNI Services Support Coordinator said, ‘nationwide, 11,670 helpline calls were made to 13 RCNI member Rape Crisis Centres.

‘Awareness of sexual abuse has increased significantly in the past number of years, resulting in our society becoming a safer place for many survivors of sexual abuse to tell their story and to receive support from their friends, loved ones and communities. This is particularly true for adult survivors of childhood abuse perpetrated by those in positions of authority.

‘Yet still far too many callers to our helplines are disclosing sexual abuse and assault for the first time; they may never tell anyone else. For these survivors they continue to fear the response to their disclosure. A shared challenge must be to find a way to respond appropriately to all survivors of sexual abuse, no matter what the context.’

For all Rape Crisis Centre helpline and contact details see www.rcni.ie/rape-crisis-centres.aspx

For information please contact

Susan Miner, 087 9174217