Rape and Justice in Ireland
Rape and Justice in Ireland, a groundbreaking book published in 2009 and commissioned by the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, is the result of a four year independent research study into the process of prosecuting rape cases in Ireland.
This book is an important advance in our understanding of the reasons why so many rape cases are lost from the system during their progress from incident to reporting, to final court hearing, resulting in very low conviction rates for rape in Ireland. The book also offers a unique insight into the Irish justice system, as the authors were granted unprecedented access to the files of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the courts and the direct experiences of survivors of rape.
The key findings of this research expose the nature of the factors at play in navigating a rape case through the justice system. It shows how the quality of social and official support for survivors is vitally important in order to progress a case, and that survivors as well as officials tend to think and act in terms of “real rape” scenarios to the disadvantage of the majority of cases that do not fit those criteria. It also explores the factors that influence the DPP’s decision to prosecute and those put forward in successful and unsuccessful court cases.
Rape and Justice in Ireland concludes with recommendations for comprehensive reform of the justice system to lead to more effective prosecution of rape cases, and concrete suggestions to help in the prevention of the crime. This is an important and pioneering book.
Download here: Rape and Justice In Ireland
Related documents
Rape Crisis Network Ireland Annual Statistics Report 2020
Download Report: RCNI Annual Statistics Report 2020
Storm and Stress: An Exploration of Sexual Harassment Amongst Adolescents 2021
Download Report: Storm and Stress: An Exploration of Sexual Harassment Amongst Adolescents
Together with Survivors: Rape Crisis Adaption and Transformation during Lockdown
The data in this report is a snapshot of Rape Crisis Centre services during the Covid-19 pandemic period of the 1 March to 30 June 2020.
Download Report here.
Recent Rape/Sexual Assault: National Guidelines on Referral and Forensic Clinical Examination in Ireland 4th edition 2018
Download Report: Recent Rape and Sexual Assault National Guidelines 4th Edition
RCNI Hearing Every Voice – Towards a New Strategy on Vulnerable Witnesses in Legal Proceedings 2018 Report
Download Report: Rape Crisis Network Ireland – Hearing Every Voice Report
RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2015
Download Report: RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2015
Finding a Safe Place: LGBT Survivors of Sexual Violence and Disclosure in Rape Crisis Centres
Download Report: Finding a Safe Place: LGBT Survivors of Sexual Violence and Disclosure in Rape Crisis Centres
RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2014
Download Report: RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2014
RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2013
Download Report: RCNI National Rape Crisis Statistics 2013
Asylum seekers and refugees surviving on hold
Download Report: Asylum Seekers and Refugees Surviving on Hold
Young People, Alcohol and Sex: What’s Consent Got To Do With It?
On 28th January 2014, RCNI held a seminar to launch an important piece of research conducted by Pádraig MacNeela, Thomas Conway, Siobhán Kavanagh, Lisa Ann Kennedy and John McCaffrey of NUI, Galway. The research, a qualitative study among university students explored how attitudes to alcohol impact on judgements about consent to sexual activity.
The report was launched by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, with guest speaker Dr. Antonia Abbey, of Wayne State University, Michigan, one of the most published authors on the area of sexual violence and alcohol.
Below, you can download an executive summary of the research, the full report, the policy document released by RCNI to coincide with the launch of the research as well as copies of the presentations given on the day.
Download full report: Click here
Download summary of research findings and recommendations: Young People, Alcohol and Sex: What’s Consent Got To Do With It?
Download RCNI Policy Document: Older Child and Sexual Violence: Questions and Challenges for a National Response (January 2014)
Download presentation by Dr. Padraig McNeela, NUIG: From Loss of Inhibition to Loss of Control: University Student Perceptions of Alcohol Use, Gender, and Non-Consenting Sexual Activity
Download presentation by Dr. Clíona Saidlear, RCNI: The Older Child and Sexual Violence: Questions and Challenges in Delivering a National Response
Hearing child survivors of sexual violence: Towards a national response
Download Report: Hearing child survivors of sexual violence
2013
Older Women and Sexual violence: Recognising and Supporting Survivors
Hearing child survivors of sexual violence: towards a national response
Rape Crisis Centre Governance Resource Pack
31.05.13
Rape, Pregnancy, Abortion – RCNI Release New Figures
10.01.13
2012
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 9: Rape, Alcohol Consumption and Human Rights
10.12.12
RCNI Statistical Report on Crimes of Child Sexual Violence
20.11.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence: ICSoR Panel Review
17.11.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 8: Growing a Body of Evidence
31.10.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 6: Alcohol as a Date-Rape Drug
11.09.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 5: Alcohol, Youth and Sexual Violence
14.08.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 4: Alcohol Consumption and Victim Blaming
19.07.12
RCNI Report on Sexual Violence Against People With Disabilities
20.06.12
RCNI Report on Sexual Violence Against People With Disabilities – summary document
20.06.12
RCNI Report on Sexual Violence Against People with Disabilities – summary document (large font)
20.06.12
Alcohol and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet 3: Sex Related Alcohol Expectancies and Sexual Violence
31.05.12
Fact Sheet 1: The extent of the problem in Ireland
18.04.12
RCNI Fact Sheet on Sexual Violence and Older Women in Ireland
28.03.12
RCNI Fact Sheet on the outcomes of pregnancy resulting from rape
29.02.12
2011
Alcohol-and-Sexual-Violence-AAI-Conference-Nov-2011
15.11.11
What does the research and data tell us about male victims of rape in an Irish context?
07.12.10
2007
RCNI Comparative Analysis of Political Party Manifestoes, Election 2007
14.05.07
