Rape charity experiences busiest year on record
By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association
A charity which supports survivors of sexual violence said 2025 was its busiest year on record.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) said its national helpline was contacted almost 24,000 times last year, the highest number ever recorded.
It also said the number of people it supported with therapy has risen by 70 per cent in two years, to 838.
The charity will launch its annual report on Tuesday, which it says “outlines the unprecedented levels of demand” it is experiencing.
The organisation, which was founded in 1979, provides education, training and awareness-raising campaigns.
It also supports survivors of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse with a national 24-hour helpline, one-one-one counselling and an accompaniment service.
Last year was one of the most “demanding” and “defining” years in its history, chief executive Rachel Morrogh said, with demand across services reaching “levels we have not previously seen”.
Morrogh said the helpline had been contacted 23,955 times in 2015, a rise of 29 per cent since 2023.
She said: “This signals a clear and continuing upward trend in people seeking support.”
Those contacting the helpline included a mix of repeat and first-time callers, which she said shows the need for “ongoing telephone counselling support” and that “we are a constant and reliable support for callers from across the country”.
“I’m always mindful of the courage it takes to pick up the phone for the first time, to find the words to say out loud. We thank each and every one for their trust in us,” she said.
The DRCC’s accompaniment service supported 850 people as they engaged with Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATU), the Gardaí and courts.
Morrogh added: “Behind each of these figures is a person facing some of the most intimidating, devastating moments of their lives, and our accompaniment team’s presence ensured that none of them had to navigate medical or justice processes alone.”
In a statement, the Minister for Justice described the figures in the report as “stark”.
Jim O’Callaghan also said it also “points to a society more open to talking about sexual violence and survivors and victims more confident in coming forward seeking support”.
The chairperson of the DRCC’s board of directors, Anne Marie James, said the “emerging” issue of online sexual violence, including deepfake images “underscore the ongoing need for legal and social reform”.
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. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
