Rape crisis groups urge people to get help if needed

RAPE crisis groups have called on people upset by the release of Larry Murphy to get help if they need it.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said it had experienced a rise in the number of calls from victims of sexual violence in recent days.

DRCC chief executive Ellen O’Malley Dunlop said some victims of sexual violence may have “memories triggered” by the coverage surrounding the release of Murphy from prison.

“We are a victim support organisation and we want people to know there is a 24-hour helpline open to them,” she said.

The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland (RCNI) said survivors of sexual crime also need to avoid comparing their own circumstances to the vicious nature of Murphy’s attack on a Carlow businesswoman in 2000.

RCNI spokesperson Cliona Saidlear said: “It is important to remember that Larry Murphy and the type of crime he committed is exceptional and it is very rare.”

She said people should not compare their experiences as it could lead people to minimise those experiences, even though they may have had a huge impact on their lives.

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