60% of abuse victims seeking therapy are male

A MAJORITY of people accessing the services of an abuse survivors’ group are male, a situation possibly unique to Ireland, the organisation’s director said yesterday.

Over 60% of the 235 individuals who last year contacted One in Four for therapeutic support were male, Colm O’Gorman said at the launch of the group’s annual report yesterday. “It’s a hugh number and possibly unique to Ireland,” he said.

Anecdotal evidence from other parts of the world, particularly the inquiries into clerical abuse in the US, suggests a majority of alleged victims are female.