THE Fianna Fáil/Pegressive Democrat coalition has presided over many a fiasco, but its treatment of victims of sexual assault and violence is particularly shameful.

GARDAÍ have formally started notifying victims of convicted sex abuser Derry O’Rourke of his release from prison tomorrow — even though many victims already learned of his release through the media over the weekend.

THE imminent release of convicted sex offender Derry O’Rourke has prompted outrage after victims of the former swimming coach said they had not been informed he would be walking free this week.

WOMEN’S groups have expressed disappointment at the limited remit of a long-awaited domestic violence office, details of which were announced yesterday.

THROUGHOUT the Christmas period cinema screens will carry a hard-hitting ad campaign speaking directly to rape victims.

DESPITE the fact that rape and violence against women are on the increase in Ireland, three of the country’s four sexual assault treatment units are in danger of closing due to lack of Government funding.

THE State is inflicting “mental torture” on rape victims due to widespread delays in bringing cases to court, support groups have warned.

IT is appalling that victims of sexual abuse are waiting up to two years before receiving full-time counselling support from a State scheme set up to help people recover after their traumatic experience.

FURTHER evidence of the funding crisis hitting services for rape and abuse victims has emerged with the Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) revealing its members have less than two-thirds the budget they need to survive.

JUST 95 out of 335 people who sought counselling at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) reported the crime to gardaí.

There were 16,331 calls made to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre in 2005, according to the centre’s annual report published yesterday.

THE Broadcasting Complaints Commission received more than 25 phone complaints before lunchtime yesterday regarding Friday’s Late Late Show featuring convicted American paedophile Jake Goldenflame.

MORE than 3,000 people demonstrated nationwide yesterday to show solidarity with victims of child abuse.

HUNDREDS of protesters are expected to gather outside the Dáil today as public outrage intensifies over the child rape debacle.

Thought-provoking stuff.

The head of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has said sexual violence is getting more common, and that pornography is contributing to the problem.

The trial of a man accused of raping his friend in Dublin has heard there were 37 messages exchanged between them in the days that followed.

The Supreme Court has issued a ruling on the legal definition of consent in cases of rape.

A woman who was a child victim of paedophile Eamonn Cooke has spoken out about her experiences in a powerful interview.

There have been calls today for sexual abuse cases to be fast-tracked through the courts system.