Sexual assault unit will not close

WATERFORD’S Sexual Assault Treatment Unit is not about to close, despite a report that shows similar centres nationwide are running on a shoestring.

Three of the country’s four centres are under-staffed and under-funded the report commissioned by Government shows. But this does not put the service in jeopardy, according to Waterford’s manager, Sheila Vereker.

“Our funding is not ring-fenced, but there is no suggestion the service will be pulled,” Ms Vereker insisted.

The situation, however, does beg the question of how serious this government takes sexual violence.

“It raises questions about the way they think about the needs of victims ... of sexual crime [who] had to wait for hours and hours before our unit was set up.

“The initial reaction of any victim to rape is the longing to wash. If they cannot be seen as soon as possible, they cannot change and they cannot shower.

“If this service is pulled, we will be back to waiting and waiting, and it will mean that less people will come forward [to report sex crime],” she said, in an interview on WLR FM.

“Waterford has a very good cohort of GP’s and nurses, as well as emotional support,” according to Ms Vereker.

However, she added: “Because we are funded annually, we are limping along. We have had funding capped since 2002. The government will say they are fully supportive of services for victims of sexual crime.

“They are talking the talk, but they are not walking the walk.”