CALLS to the country’s only 24-hour rape crisis helpline increased by almost half in the past two years, leaving services for victims of sexual violence struggling to keep up with demand.

SEXUALLY abused children are having to wait up to a year to be clinically assessed by specialists, a leading child protection group said yesterday.

AT least one victim of drug-assisted rape or sexual abuse contacts the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) every week.

SOME rape victims have to wait up to 11 hours to be examined because of a shortage of doctors trained to gather forensic evidence.