Archive for category: Press Releases

RCNI today, following the incident in Athlone of the abduction and suspected sexual assault of 2 children aged 6 and 9, urges anyone, should they have any concerns about the behaviour or activity of someone living in their neighbourhood, to work with the Gardaí.

Fiona Neary, RCNI director said, ‘child abduction is traumatic both for the victims and their community.  Research and national data tells us that acquaintances, friends and neighbours are the most commonly named perpetrators by child survivors, both boys and girls, attending RCCs in 2012 (noted in 39% of incidents). Strangers accounted for only 7% of all reported incidents.

‘The majority of incidents involving female children only, under the age of 13, coming to the attention of RCCs in 2012, were perpetrated by parents, immediate family members or extended family members. However, the likelihood of incidents being perpetrated by acquaintances, strangers and other non-family members increases with age especially for girls.

‘All communities can act to protect children. RCNI urge anyone who has concerns about the behaviour of someone living in their area to talk to the Gardaí in confidence to alert them and pass on any information that may prove useful.’

Rape Crisis Network Ireland call on the Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter, to reassure rape victims and respond to statements in the Office of the DPP Annual Report 2012, which signals a very lengthy delay to  any expansion of the giving reasons for non-prosecution project, including to victims of rape.

Executive Director Fiona Neary said ‘We know that treating victims with dignity and respect at every stage of the legal system encourages others to come forward, when they see that the trauma and devastation of rape crimes is recognized by the state – even when it cannot deliver a prosecution. We know that giving victims’ information assists in their recovery. Treating victims with dignity throughout is a critical component of a legal system, which recognizes that terrible crimes have been committed, and a person violated, when sometimes these crimes cannot be prosecuted. It enables victims to move on with their lives, knowing that they stood up to their attacker and did everything they could to prevent further rape crimes.

‘Rape victims have told us how they feel when they are not given information by the legal system: “I feel my case isn’t important to them. I was forgotten about” (Rape and Justice Ireland, 2009).

‘RCNI call on the Government to reassure victims of sexual violence crimes and demonstrate commitment to them by committing to resourcing the OPPD to provide reasons to victims of sexual crimes. RCNI ask “what are the priorities of this country if is not committing resources to those who have been violated?”

‘Under the EU Directive on the Support of Crime Victims, the State will be obliged to give reasons to victims of sexual crime for not bringing a prosecution in their case. The Government should take steps now therefore to ensure that the DPP is given the resources to put in place an efficient, compassionate and fair system to provide reasons to victims for her decisions.’

RCNI call for all party support to protect child victims of sexual violence from unnecessary and potentially devastating harm in our courts.

As a long time advocate of victims’ rights, RCNI calls on Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter, TD, to include the proposed amendment to the Courts Bill proposed by Senator Van Turnhout, before the Seanad today (Weds 26th June 2013) which will give our judges urgently needed powers to regulate the disclosure of counselling notes relating to child victims.

Fiona Neary RCNI Director said, ‘The Van Turnhout amendment is both essential and urgent in the interest of justice and the protection of the child witness in a criminal case of child sexual violence.

‘Devastating and unacceptable choices are being forced on parents of children in cases of sexual violence by an accidental gap in our law which exposes vulnerable children to potential trauma in our court rooms.

‘Parents are currently faced with the frightening possibility that to seek justice and the protection of other children requires making their child’s intimate counselling notes available for the court case, perhaps to devastating effect in undermining their child. This decision to expose the child is currently without any formal control or oversight by a judge. This is entirely unacceptable. It must be the case that only a judge makes this decision. It is unnecessary to put children and their parents through this further trauma.

‘Minister Alan Shatter now has an opportunity, through the amendment to the Courts Bill, proposed in the Seanad today (Weds 26th 2013) by Senator Jillian Van Turnhout, to fix this distressing and unjust situation for the children who have experienced sexual violence and their families.’

Caroline Counihan, RCNI Legal Director said, ‘It is the RCNI contention that the decision on the admissibility of the child’s counselling notes in a particular case should only be made by a judge to a set of standards defined by law. This amendment means that a judge may decide the counselling notes are of no probative value, that other evidence could prove a contested fact, that the public interest in disclosure does not outweigh the potential harm to the complainant and therefore they are not to be given to the accused and/or the defence legal team. This amendment is to ensure that the counselling notes of child sexual victims who give evidence as children would only become part of the trial if the judge makes a decision on their admissibility. It is our strong belief that justice should do all that it can to protect the child victim from unnecessary potential harm in the pursuit of justice.

‘The existing gap in our law can result in grave injustice and additional trauma to survivors. This amendment will close this gap in our legislation as far as child victims of sexual crime are concerned. This legislative change will help ensure that there is public confidence that the State will do its utmost to vindicate victims of crimes of sexual violence.

‘RCNI have been working with survivors, services, Government agencies and legislators, including Senator Van Turnhout, on this question for an extended period of time. RCNI have also been looking at legislative provisions from other jurisdictions, such as New South Wales, as possible models which could be adapted to suit our criminal justice system. We have been pooling our experience and the experiences of clients and the parents of child clients across the country over a number of years. We very much welcome this timely amendment as a first and urgent step in addressing this gap in our law.’

Fiona Neary concluded, ‘We commend Senator Jillian Van Turnhout for proposing this clause in the latest Courts Bill and call on all Deputies and all Parties of the Oireachtas to commit to ensuring its swift passage to enactment. Further, RCNI calls on Minister Shatter to introduce new legislation to ensure that our judges have the power to regulate disclosure of all victims’ intimate personal records, as a matter of urgency.’

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) are delighted to announce that Ms Norah Gibbons, Chair Designate of the Child & Family Agency, today in Galway launched, The Rape Crisis Centre Governance Resource Pack, a new training resource which has been rolled out for Rape Crisis Centre (RCC) Board Members nationwide.

Speaking at the launch, Ms Gibbons said, ‘this guide to governance informs and assists board members to be clear about their roles and responsibilities and to be effective leaders. It is a vital tool for existing board members and no doubt will  be a key component of  the introductory pack for new board members in the future. Vigilance with regard to all aspects of governance is essential for all organisations and I applaud the RCNI for making this readable guide available.’

RCNI spokesperson said; ‘RCCs exist to create a better world. We operate to effect the prevention of sexual violence and to meet the needs of survivors in difficult and demanding conditions. Clear and accountable governance has always been vital to the successes and sustainability of the rape crisis sector.’

‘A strategic aim of RCNI as the representative body of Irish RCCs is to support member RCCs to adopt and maintain best practice, including in governance, to help keep pace with change and to be effective leaders,’ she added.

The resource outlines Board Member  roles, duties and responsibilities and the relationship between Board Members, Management, Staff and Volunteers. It also provides an introduction to the history of the rape crisis movement and its development, as well as the considerable range of services provided by an RCNI member RCC.

RCNI were shocked today to hear about the case of a Garda who is being prosecuted for allegedly forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions informing a survivor of sexual violence that their case had been dropped, when in fact it had not.

Fiona Neary, RCNI Director said, ‘this allegation, if proved, represents a betrayal of trust of survivors and indeed of An Garda Siochana. Sexual violence crimes are difficult to investigate and to prosecute, and the commitment and perseverance of An Garda Siochana are vital to secure justice  for survivors of sexual violence.

‘RCNI asks the Garda Commissioner to reassure survivors  that this incident is very far from typical and that this allegation, if proved, in no way reflects general Garda attitudes to investigating sexual violence crimes. Survivors must be able to trust that all criminal justice professionals take these crimes seriously and act in the interests of justice. The high standards set out in the Garda Siochana Policy on the investigation of crimes of sexual violence must be seen by survivors to be put into practice by An Garda Siochana at every level, and in this regard, RCNI acknowledges some very positive effects for survivors of the implementation by An Garda Siochana of that Policy.

‘The RCNI, its Rape Crisis Centres and An Garda Siochana, nationally and locally have worked hard building good and appropriate relationships in the interests of the effective investigation of sexual crimes and to vindicate survivors’ rights and dignity. It is in everyone’s interest that no questions remain over the commitment of all to the common goal of securing justice.’