THE Waterford Rape Crisis Centre has called for an increased level of government funding after revealing that victims of rape and sexual abuse must wait four months for support services.

Niamh Nolan

THERE has been a “phenomenal” increase in the number of drug-assisted rape reports, a counsellor said yesterday.

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