Sexual violence victims ‘silenced’ due to funding cut for national data collection system

Victims of sexual violence are being “silenced” following the State’s decision to cut off funding to a national data collection system, rape crisis agencies have said.

The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland said it was not in a position to publish its annual figures for 2016 because it no longer had the resources to ensure the data was of the necessary standard.

The network said this was the direct result of the decision by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to remove 70% of RCNI funding in 2015.