Cork hospital's sexual assault unit marks 25 years in operation

The Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU), located in South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, is marking 25 years in operation this year.

The SATU provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic and medical aftercare service to persons aged 14 years and above who have experienced rape or sexual crimes.

The confidential service is free, operates 365 days with 24 hour cover and can be accessed through the gardaí, a GP, Rape Crisis Centre, emergency department or self-referral.

In 2025, it experienced a year-on-year service demand increase of 5.5% of patients compared to 2024.

SATU also ensures extensive aftercare and follow-up resources ranging from advice, support and referral to appropriate services for all patients.

In 2025, 95% of patients were seen within SATU’s three-hour target following a service request, and a new system for the collection and storage of evidence was introduced that addresses the unique security and data-storage requirements of forensic medical examinations.

Education and community outreach are also priorities for the unit, and last year educational sessions were delivered to secondary schools in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Kerry, as well as specialised training for University College Cork and An Garda Síochána.

To support the work they do and commemorate their 25 years in operation, the SATU will hold a three-course lunch in the Kingsley Hotel on June 19, with tickets available on Eventbrite for €75 each.

Margo Noonan, nurse lead at the unit, said: 

“The increase in demand for SATU’s services makes the significance of our 25-year anniversary lunch even more important.

“The lunch will celebrate the incredibly hard-working staff and team in the Cork South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, and commemorate those who have worked there previously. 

"The demand for our service highlights the unit’s growth as a centre of excellence, despite the current space restraints as the unit looks to relocate.”