Mounting fear and anxiety over number of attacks on women
Sligo Rape Crisis Centre CEO David Madden said when people then hear of assaults in other parts of the country, it further adds to the fear. File Picture.
The head of Sligo Rape Crisis Centre has said there is mounting fear and anxiety in the town at the threat of assaults and sexual violence, and he has urged people affected to speak up and seek help and justice.
SRCC CEO David Madden was speaking ahead of a protest in the town on Saturday afternoon against ‘sexual violence and rape culture’.
The event, Sligo Take Back The Streets, is being organised by Janet Jinks, a Sligo town resident and campaigner for social justice.
It follows alleged sexual assaults on two young teenage girls near Ballydoogan Rd, on the western outskirts of the town, on January 22.
Gardaí are also investigating an alleged assault near Sligo Institute of Technology on January 27.
The protest comes against the background of an assault on a young woman in Cork City last Saturday, and an assault on a teenage girl in Kilkenny last Monday.
In the last month there has also been the fatal assault on 23-year-old Ashling Murphy in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, and the assault on 17-year-old Alanna Quinn Idris in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on December 30.
“The Ashling Murphy killing and the recent assaults here in Sligo has brought everything to a head — it’s in the air, the air is thick with this,” said Mr Madden.
“The number of callers is going up, the number of counselling hours is going up, the number of referrals is going up, the length of time people are staying with us is going up, the level of fear and anxiety is going up, and Covid has added another dimension to it as well.”
Mr Madden said when people then hear of assaults in other parts of the country, it further adds to the fear.
He said the level of violence is “unacceptable” and added: “Everyone has the right to be safe on the streets and in their own homes.”
He encouraged people to “speak up” and report sexual harassment and assaults and seek specialist help.
His comments come as gardaí continue to investigate the assaults in Cork and Kilkenny, while gardaí in Dublin have arrested two further teenage boys in relation to the assault of Alanna Quinn Idris, with one of them being released.
In Cork, officers believe a boy in his early teens is the suspect for an assault on a woman who was walking along Evergreen St at around 11.30pm on Saturday night. Detectives believe she was followed for some time before the assault during which she was hit in the head and face. She did not recognise her attacker.
Meanwhile, gardaí in Kilkenny are continuing their investigation into the assault of a teenage girl about a kilometre outside Johnstown village on Monday.
She was walking on a cul de sac in the townland of Ballyspellan when she was assaulted by man who was believed to be carrying either scissors or a knife.
The girl has told gardaí that her attacker was white, wore dark clothes, spoke with an Irish accent, and was aged in his 40s.
Both females required hospital treatment.
There have been no arrests in connection with either attack.
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