30% increase in helpline calls relating to childhood sexual assault

More than one half of all calls made to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre helpline last year related to childhood sexual assault, a 30% increase over the past eight years.

The counselling service received more than 9,000 calls in 2010, 52% of these related to child sexual abuse cases.

CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Ellen O'Malley Dunlop said the rise could be attributed to the publication of the Murphy and Ryan reports which exposed clerical child sex abuse.