Caroline Counihan, RCNI Legal Director said, ‘RCNI welcome the news that Patrick O’Brien will now go to jail and start his sentence. We commend Judge Carney for recognising and apologising for his earlier decision on bail and in taking swift action to revoke that bail for Patrick O’Brien. We feel this is appropriate given the […]
Following the latest controversial sentencing of a convicted serious sexual offender, RCNI call for renewed urgency in reforming sentencing and bail practices. Fiona Neary, Executive Director said, ‘sentencing is the final stage of a long and arduous journey for a survivor of rape and sexual crimes. It is estimated that only 2- 5% of all […]
Today Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) release the latest figures on survivors of rape who were pregnant as a result, who had abortions. In 2011, of the 2,036 female survivors of sexual violence who attended a Rape Crisis Centre (RCC), 90 girls and women became pregnant as a result of rape 17 survivors, pregnant as […]
Over the past year, the RCNI’s Calling Time on Sexual Violence series has examined the issue and role of alcohol consumption in incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence in Ireland. This series makes clear that while alcohol does not cause sexual violence, it significantly contributes to the attitudes, behaviours and contexts in […]
Over the 9th and 10th of November, 2012, the third International Conference on Survivors of Rape (ICSoR) was held at NUI Galway, hosted by the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. This conference drew together international experts, service-workers and survivors of rape and sexual violence to examine issues and responses to rape and sexual violence.
Service providers have an important role to play in recording data that can be used to monitor and evaluate sexual violence in Ireland. Given the prevalence of alcohol in sexual violence in Ireland [i] collecting data in relation to alcohol consumption and attitudes towards alcohol and sex is of considerable importance to ensure effective policies […]
The facts suggest that alcohol is the most common drug used to facilitate sexual assaults and rape[i]. Although drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB have received much attention internationally as ‘date-rape drugs’, in Ireland, there has been no evidence to suggest that they are used with regularity in incidents of sexual assault[ii].
Rape and Justice in Ireland (RAJI) identified that adult victims of rape in Ireland are predominantly young, with half of all reported rapes involving a victim under the age of 25. Those accused of rape were also young: 33% of those accused of rape were under the age of 25.[i] The RAJI study did not […]
Victim blaming arises from the belief that a victim of rape ‘wanted, asked for, enjoyed, or deserved to be raped due to her behaviour or appearance’. [i][ii] Research provides clear evidence that intoxicated female victims of rape are more likely to be blamed or assigned responsibility for the rape than sober victims, while intoxicated male perpetrators tend […]
Across European countries there are notable differences in the behaviours of individuals who consume equal amounts of alcohol.[i] Culture plays a role in how we behave when we consume alcohol. Studies have shown that how an individual responds to alcohol depends on what effects they expect to experience.[ii],[iii] These are called ‘Alcohol expectancies’. Individuals will […]
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