16% rise in calls to rape crisis centre

THE Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) experienced an increase of 16% in calls to the its national 24-hour helpline for victims of rape and sexual abuse in the first six months of 2009.

The centre received 7,560 calls to the line over that period compared to 6,522 calls in the same period in 2008.

It said the increase was due mainly to the huge surge in calls to the helpline following the Ryan report.

There was a 300% increase in the number of first-time callers disclosing past childhood sexual abuse in May this year, from the same period last year.

“The DRCC is disappointed and angry at the further delay in the publication of the Commission of Investigation into sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin,” said Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, chief executive of DRCC.

“While the centre asked for some space between the publication of the Ryan report and the Dublin Archdiocese report, in order to be properly prepared for the avalanche of calls we anticipated, we never envisaged the further delay that is now happening.”

Ms O’Malley-Dunlop said her organisation had been preparing for months for the publication of the commission’s report and had seen it as the “end in sight” for the survivors of abuse who, she said, had campaigned with courage and tenacity.

“Other survivors, who had chosen for their own understandable reasons not to speak out, also needed this report to be in the public domain.

“Alas, all have now to call on their over-stretched patience and inner resources as they are forced to wait once again,” she said.

“Of course, no one wants any current criminal prosecutions to be jeopardised by the report’s publication, but why was this not taken into account before the promise was made that the report would be published except for Chapter 19, and 21 references to pending cases?”