Child sex dolls may be an indicator of a desire to rape children, says the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) as gardaí made their first-ever discovery of a number of the dolls during a targeted search of 31 premises for child pornography this week.

A man has been given a suspended sentence for sexually assaulting a woman as she slept at a party.

Ireland’s slow progress in protecting victims of sexual violence will be raised at a United Nations’ hearing in Geneva this week.

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.

Child and sexual violence support groups called for a review of resources required for gardaí to investigate child sex abuse imagery and exploitation.

THE wall of officialdom refused to crumble, right up to the very end.

VICTIMS of abuse in residential institutions have sought help in record numbers since the publication of the Ryan report, prompting a funding appeal from helplines.

THE National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), has a strong mandate representing 500,000 of the country’s two million women.

A TEXT helpline aimed at young people with problems has been getting 120 appeals for help per day since its launch last August.

Up to 16% of students have suffered an unwanted sexual experience at college or university, a study found.

Female students are more likely to experience sexual harassment as they progress through college, according to a survey.

Children are no match for adults intent on harming them and they need to know that from an early age, a leading children’s charity has warned.

A convicted sex offender embraced by neighbours and friends — including a priest — prior to sentencing is due for release today.

The vast majority of the 37% of children who are sexually abusing other children are not classic paedophiles but abuse due to neglect, emotional, physical or sexual abuse, and increasingly because of exposure to porn or an over-sexualised homeplace.