'Abhorrent and barbaric': Calls for sexual assault treatment unit in Mid-West after rape victim had to travel to Galway 

Siobhan O’Leary, executive director of Rape Crisis Midwest, said the service available in Limerick was almost like telling people not to get raped or sexually assaulted on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

The lack of a sexual assault treatment unit(SATU) in the Midwest has been branded "abhorrent" and "barbaric" by campaigners and public representatives.

The issue was highlighted last week during a sentencing hearing in a Co Clare rape case, where the court heard the victim had to travel to Galway's SATU after the attack.

The case has renewed calls for a dedicated 24-hour sexual assault treatment service for the Mid-West, covering Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary.

There are currently six SATUs in Ireland, located in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Mullingar, and Letterkenny. 

Limerick has a forensic medical examination service which provides services for victims of rape and sexual assault between 7pm and 7am, Monday to Thursday, with 24-hour services being provided during weekends and public holidays. 

As with SATUs, its services are available to people over the age of 14. Fifty people have used the forensic medical examination service since 2020.

The country’s six SATUs provide 24/7 specialist care to people after sexual violence, including health screening. This service is not available at the forensic medical examination service, which can only be accessed by victims who are reporting their attack to gardaí. 

Siobhan O’Leary, executive director of Rape Crisis Midwest, said the service available in Limerick was almost like telling people not to get raped or sexually assaulted on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

“If somebody goes to a SATU, they get their forensic examination, all of their health interventions that are required, all under the one roof, so it is a holistic approach to care, psychological support, and so on. 

"In terms of the additional health supports, those who attend the service in the Mid-West are required to go to a follow-up clinic for STI screening. That is another very unreasonable condition that is being put on survivors in the Mid-West.” 

Ms O'Leary added: “By virtue of geography, people are being treated absolutely abhorrently. I have had to tell people on the phone who have rang our helpline that they have two options — if they want to speak to the guards, they can be seen in Limerick but if they don’t right now, they will have to travel.” 

She cited the case of one victim who “I had to tell not to shower, who had to get on a public bus to Galway, get their exam, get on a bus again and come home, still not having had a shower”.

Ms O'Leary acknowledged attendance at SATUs in either Galway or Cork satisfied the national criterion of having a unit within 100km of a patient.

However, she said: “Does the person have the means to travel? If they have children, do they have childcare? There are so many things that are not thought of from a survivor point of view, that have been totally neglected.” 

Labour TD Conor Sheehan described it as "barbaric" that victims seeking access to a SATU could face journeys of several hours for an examination, still wearing the clothes in which they were assaulted.

 “It is another health inequality for the Mid-West," he said. "We need to bring the health service in the Mid-West up to the standard of Cork and Galway.” 

In response to a parliamentary question from Mr Sheehan, the Department of Health said: “The HSE is currently undertaking a scoping process regarding the potential future development of SATU services in the Mid-West region. 

"At present, no decision has been made regarding the establishment of a SATU in Limerick or the Mid-West region. The future direction of service development will be informed by the ongoing scoping exercise, assessment of regional need, governance requirements, and broader national service planning considerations, including the work of the strategic board.