Crisis appointments at rape crisis centre tripled at end of lockdown

Noeline Blackwell

Demand for assessment appointments, for those who had suffered rape or sexual assault in the more distant past, also rose by 30 per cent over the same period, DRCC said.

Noeline Blackwell, human rights lawyer and CEO of DRCC, said the report highlighted the pandemic’s particular effect on victims and survivors of sexual violence, who had been isolated from usual coping strategies.

Ms Blackwell said: “There were 13,438 contacts to the national helpline in 2020, and we delivered 6,010 one-on-one counselling and therapy sessions to clients.

“Our counsellors and therapists have never seen such levels of stress and anxiety. Our callers and clients needed much more support to heal or even stay where they were.

“We must note the resilience of all those who feature in our report – of the survivors who sought support and stayed the course in a very difficult year, and also of our extraordinarily committed staff and volunteers – as well as all those who supported our work throughout 2020.”

Chairperson Ann Marie Gill added: “We must acknowledge the generous support we received from the public in 2020, which gave us great heart and determination to continue our work.

“We are grateful for state support, including from Tusla and the Department of Justice, that allowed us as a frontline organisation to maintain our support and advocacy for survivors and to continue to drive reforms that tackle sexual violence and its aftermath.”