Rape crisis centre 'desperately needed' for homeless people assaulted on Cork streets

Campaigners are working to open a sanctuary for homeless people following sexual assault and Taoiseach Micheál Martin has assured them their plan will go ahead

Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners said rape and sexual abuse of people living out on the streets is an emergency and action is urgently needed. File picture

A rape crisis shelter is urgently needed for the people who are viciously raped on Cork’s streets every night, a leading homeless advocate has said.

Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners said rape and sexual abuse of people living out on the streets was an emergency and action was urgently needed.

Ms Twomey, along with Mary Crilly from the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, and sexual abuse survivor and campaigner Lavinia Kerwick are working to open a sanctuary for homeless people following sexual assault.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has assured them their plan will go ahead.

But they are still looking for a premises for the pilot project which they hope can be rolled out countrywide.

The three women have filled in all the required paperwork and submitted it to the Taoiseach’s office.

They are hoping to meet with various stakeholders in Cork “shortly” for feedback on the plan.

But the situation has reached crisis point and action is needed now, Ms Twomey said.

Every day more people – both females and males – are viciously raped on the streets and have nowhere to go for sanctuary from their rapists.

“This is so badly needed,” Ms Twomey said.

Some nights, a woman will go to hospital after being raped, she will go through all the tests and once she leaves hospital that night, she is raped again, often by the same perpetrator.

“We need to have a place so people don’t have to go back out onto the streets to be raped and tortured again. 

"They need somewhere they can feel safe, where they can avail of medical services and any other services they may need, like addiction services. They need somewhere that they can feel safe so that they can believe that change is possible in their lives.

“So many people on the streets lose hope. Sometimes people just need a bit of extra help to get back on their feet again.

“Sometimes you have to help a person to make them whole again.

“And nobody can heal and recover without somewhere that they feel safe.” 

Ms Twomey said rape and sexual violence is endemic for people who are living on the streets and few escape it.

“As Mary Crilly said, there’s not a woman on our streets who hasn’t been raped.

“It’s a common occurrence and people just have to live with it because if they put up any resistance they’re beaten and tortured.

“And rape is a very hurtful thing. It tears people apart.

We’re still looking for a property. If anyone has a house in the city or the country that we could renovate for this we’d love to hear from them.” 

She said the Taoiseach has promised them this shelter will materialise. He has long supported organisations like the Cork Sexual Violence Centre and Ms Twomey believes he genuinely supports the project.

“We’re hoping to be open by Christmas. People say ‘be realistic’ but what’s realistic? This is an emergency. It’s desperately needed," Ms Twomey said.

“Rape is a heinous crime. It stays with people for the rest of their lives. They need help to move forward from this.

“And we need to do this soon. More and more people are turning up on the street.

“When people are homeless they have been stripped bare of everything and they’re clutching at straws to get back on their feet but sometimes those straws break.

“And it’s frightening out there.

"You have people spending thousands on those CityTrees – bits of moss and wood. And Simon Coveney is fighting tooth and nail for the America’s Cup to come to Ireland.

“Why can’t politicians fight like that for everything else – for homes, for medical services for mental health? It's not right,” Ms Twomey said.