On Thursday 7 October, Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) released its Annual Statistics 2020 report. RCNI represents seven Rape Crisis Centres around Ireland and collates annual statistics on who is accessing RCC helplines, appointments, and accompaniments, why they are using services, and what kinds of sexual abuse they have been subjected to. The findings for 2020 indicate that regional […]
Anne Scully, manager of Waterford Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, describes how Covid restrictions impacted the work of the centre with both counsellors and survivors forced to adapt quickly to challenging circumstances. ‘When the pandemic swept across the world we had to change how we worked very quickly, and that brought huge challenges, for us […]
In terms of victims’ rights there are a number of changes introduced by the Parole Act 2019, which came into force on 30 July 2021. These changes enhance victims’ rights and help ensure that a victim’s views are considered by the Parole Board whenever an application for parole (early release subject to conditions) is made […]
Rape Crisis Network Ireland is delighted to announce that it will launch its new report ‘Storm and Stress: An Exploration of Sexual Harassment Amongst Adolescents’ on Thursday 29 July at 2pm. The online event will be hosted by RCNI executive director Dr Clíona Saidléar and will include contributions from Dr Conor O’Mahony, Government Special Rapporteur […]
Rape Crisis Network Ireland Responds to ‘Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence: An Audit of Structures’ Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) welcomes today’s publication of Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence: An Audit of Structures, commissioned by the Department of Justice in consultation with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The publication sets out findings and recommendations arising […]
‘I would say that I am old enough to know that there are very few women my age who have not been subjected to some form of sexual assault in their respective lifetimes. I know this because I am one of them.’ Minister Josepha Madigan during a Dáil debate on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence […]
RCNI Submission on the General Scheme of the forthcoming Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020 RCNI has published its submission to the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sports and Media on the General Scheme of the forthcoming Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020. The submission includes a number of observations and recommendations that focus on […]
Published in the Irish Examiner, Wednesday 19 May 2021 On any busy night in any busy pub in Ireland (we remember them) there was one question that you can be sure was asked: Why do the women go to the toilets in pairs? This question was generally asked in derision, with a knowing wink – […]
Our largely oral-based and delay-prone criminal justice process is not designed to deliver the best possible evidence from vulnerable witnesses, or to avoid their re-traumatisation through participation in the criminal justice process itself, as far as possible. Live oral evidence, especially in response to cross-examination, is still seen as superior to written or otherwise pre-recorded evidence, […]
Response to Joint Oireachtas Committee for Justice Report on Victims’ Testimony in cases of rape and sexual assault Rape Crisis Network Ireland welcomes the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee For Justice Report on Victim’s Testimony in Cases of Rape and Sexual Assault published last week and was pleased to have been invited to make a submission and oral presentation to the Committee. The criminal […]
We need your help to keep our organisation healthy to keep our front-line services in operation.
