Only 3% of validated sex abuse cases make it to court

ONLY 3% of sex abuse cases validated by health workers end up in court.

Sex abusers know if they abuse a young child, there is little chance a prosecution will follow, a leading children’s charity warned yesterday.

The Children at Risk in Ireland foundation said one of the reasons only three of every 100 cases end up in court is because prosecutors are reluctant to pursue charges where the chief witness is a young child.

“In the balance of probability, there will be no prosecution if a child is under seven, very few under 10 and it’s still rare when the child is under 14,” said Eileen Prendiville, CARI national clinical director, adding that children are still not seen as reliable witnesses. “Abusers know that if they abuse a young child, they will not get prosecuted. You will almost need an independent eyewitness, even with a validation from a health board, even with expert witnesses.

“You can see where they (prosecutors) are coming from but it’s a myth that children make poor witnesses.”

CARI last week revealed a logjam in the system, with some children waiting for up to a year to be assessed by specialists. This further impedes any possible criminal action, according to Ms Prendiville. “It’s that kind of delay that substantially means their case is weakened.”

Despite a rise in the number of high profile sexual assault and abuse cases in recent years, only a tiny number of the overall total end up in court, according to a recently published report. Of 38 individuals surveyed, who reported child sexual abuse to gardaí, six cases (16%) resulted in court proceedings, with four guilty verdicts. Of 20 people reporting adult sexual assault, two court cases were taken with one resulting in a guilty verdict.

The Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland report claimed that many of those abused as children did not report it because of feeling ashamed or blaming themselves. It revealed that disclosure of sexual violence to professionals was strikingly low.

Ten men (of 178) and 28 women (of 290), who claim to have been sexually assaulted as children, reported this to gardaí.

Only 4% of those who claimed to have been abused as children reported it to medical professionals while just over 10% told counsellors or therapists.