Sexual assault units saw 1,000 patients last year for the first time

One fifth of the people who attended sexual assault treatment units (SATUs) in Ireland were aged 14 to 17. Picture: PA/Thinkstockphotos

The country’s six sexual assault treatment units saw more than 1,000 people last year — the first time the treatment centres have breached the 1,000 barrier since they began collecting annual data in 2009.

Dr Maeve Eogan, national clinical lead for the treatment units, said the number of people seen by the centres in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Mullingar, and Waterford increased by almost 200 people last year.