President Michael D Higgins has criticised the fact that in some countries women have no rights to control their own fertility.

THERE will be no refuge for many victims of domestic violence who will flee their homes with their children over Christmas.

THE country’s largest support service for rape victims has had its funding cut because of Government cutbacks.

Women were tonight urged to be vigilant of sexual predators who plan to target victims over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

RAPE and sexual attacks by complete strangers are on the increase, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has warned.

The eight-hour waiting time for rape victims in the South East has been eliminated by a new sexual assault treatment unit, it emerged today.

Free bereavement counselling must be offered to victims of crime who suffer traumatic events, support groups have said.

Counsellors were today bracing themselves for an onslaught of crisis calls after the latest horrific revelations of a Catholic Church cover-up of clerical sex abuse.

Niamh Nolan

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

MORE people are reporting rape or sexual assault committed by a stranger or someone they just met, while a growing number of victims are also suffering physical violence, psychological abuse and intimidation.

Gardaí are planning to submit a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the coming days in relation to a suspected gang rape on a 17-year-old girl.

The Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte has described reports of alleged garda misconduct at the Corrib gas pipeline in Mayo as "unedifying".

First-time callers to a rape crisis helpline increased by almost 20% last year.

Victims of rape will be dissuaded from reporting the crime against them after witnessing the way the Ulster rape trial was conducted, it has been claimed.

Society should be shouting from the rooftops and insisting more be done to stop the escalation of rape attacks, according to the head of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone says she hopes that a proposed new study on sexual violence in Ireland will move forward.

There are no plans to increase the number of sexual assault treatment units across the country, Health Minister, Simon Harris has said.