Quarter of people seeking treatment for sexual assault were children

Almost one in ten people who sought treatment at  sexual assault treatment units had been assaulted by multiple assailants.

One in four people who sought treatment for a sexual assault in 2020 were aged under 18.

Almost one in ten people who sought treatment at one of the country's network of sexual assault treatment units had been assaulted by multiple assailants, a new report has found.

The findings are included in the annual report from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU), which operates in Cork, Galway, Mullingar, Waterford, Letterkenny, and Dublin.

It shows the impact of Covid-19 on the SATU service, with the numbers treated declining from 943 in 2019 to 734 last year.

Among those to seek treatment were 12 people aged under 14, 77 people aged 14-16, and 87 aged 17-18. 

At the other end of the age range were six over-70s who attended SATUs for treatment. 

The average age of attendees was 27, with the 18-25 cohort representing the largest number.

The report records how, during the two strictest lockdown periods of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, from March 27 to May 18 and from October 21 to November 30, SATU attendances fell by 32% and 49%, respectively.

However, in her report, SATU national clinical lead Dr Maeve Eogan stated: "Unfortunately, even during a global pandemic, sexual crime continued to occur.” 

Dr Eogan stated: “This is particularly significant when considering that existing rape myths perpetuate the idea that sexual violence is often the result of socialising in pub and club settings and excessive use of alcohol or drugs.

“Despite nationwide closures of these locations, there was a continued need to see and care for people in SATUs following rape and sexual assault, effectively debunking these myths.” 

Among the trends identified in the report was a growing use of restraints during an assault. 

Just over nine in ten people attending a SATU were female, with males accounting for 8%. 

On the assailants’ relationship to the victim, the report records that 20% were strangers while 15% were a friend, 22% were an acquaintance of less than 24 hours, 14% were an intimate or ex-intimate partner, and 22% were family members.

Noeline Blackwell, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said many of these trends were identified in their work also.

She said counsellors and therapists noted a rise in assaults committed by multiple assailants, and said Covid-19 lockdowns had a significant impact on their capacity to work.