Rape helpline calls up to 12,000

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.

Close to 12,000 calls were received last year by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) helpline which services the whole country, an 18% increase on 2001 and 45% more than in 2000.

Almost 4,000 callers, an average of 11 a day, were contacting the service for the first time and almost half of all callers reported sexual abuse they had kept secret since childhood.