Over 70% of sexual violence victims did not report incidents to gardaí

A survey has shown 45 per cent of people know someone who has experienced sexual violence.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) has published national research shedding light on public attitudes towards and personal experiences of sexual violence in Ireland.

The research showed 31 per cent of Irish adults stating they are extremely concerned about the issue of rape or sexual violence, with 16 per cent feeling at risk.

There is a strong public perception of systemic challenges for victims of sexual violence, with 76 per cent agreeing that sexual offence victims have a harder time than other victims during a trial.

When it comes to reporting sexual violence, 71 per cent of victims did not report incidents to the gardaí.

70 per cent did not seek medical treatment following the experience, and 59 per cent did not seek counselling or support services.

There is still a small cohort of people who do not believe victims of sexual assault, with 20 per cent of people believing false allegations are common.

11 per cent think someone should not be believed unless there is a guilty verdict in court, and 12 per cent think if someone does not report an incident, they should not be believed.

Over eight in 10 men said feel absolutely or generally safe, compared with 48 per cent of women.

Commenting on the results, Rachel Morrogh, CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said: “It’s encouraging to see that the Irish public is extremely concerned about sexual violence as an issue and that they understand that it is very common.

"This high level of concern alongside a belief that sexual violence is increasing, is underlined by almost 1 in 2 people saying they know someone who has experienced sexual violence.

“However, it also reveals unsettling contradictions in our society on this issue. There is a marked gender gap in how safe from sexual violence people feel, with women feeling much less so than their male counterparts.

"In addition, small but significant cohorts believe false rape allegations are common, that rape and sexual violence is exaggerated by media, and say they would not believe a survivor unless they reported to police or had a guilty verdict in court."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.