Sexually abused children wait 18 months for therapy

Children who have been sexually abused are being forced to wait up to 18 months for therapy because of a shortage of funding.

Cari (Children At Risk in Ireland) has demanded the Government step in with one-off funding of €200,000 to clear a crippling backlog.

Cari also said it had seen a growth in the number of children aged 12 and under who have been referred to it because of sexualised behaviour, but where there is no evidence of abuse — pointing to the possible influence of pornography and inappropriate content online.