Calls to rape centre up again this year

Forty-four per cent of all calls to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre last year related to child sex abuse, according to figures released today by the centre.

Calls relating to adult rape and adult sexual assault were 51%, the majority of the calls were from women.

34% of calls to the centre came from people aged between 15 and 19, a rise of 6% on figures for this age group over last year.

Overall, the Rape Crisis Centre received a total of almost 10,000 genuine calls for counselling assistance to its 24-hour counselling line in 2001, an increase of over 1,800 calls on the figures for 2001.