This article is from page 10 of the 2012-10-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
THE impact of the recession is leading to an increase in the number of victims of sexual assault seeking support in Clare, according to Rape Crisis Midwest.
The service recently reported an 11 per cent increase in requests for support in 2011.
The Ennis Rape Crisis Centre, which is open a year, helps 10 people a week, while 250 people have passed through the doors of Rape Crisis Midwest.
According to Verena Tarpey, Director of Fundraising, stresses brought about by the recession are having a major impact on victims of sexual assaults.
She explained, “The recession has had an impact on people. People lose their jobs or their marriages break down and suddenly things that have happened to them in the past come back to them.
“When people are in difficulty, you will find it has a knock-on effect for other things, such as something that has happened in the past.”
The majority of people seeking help from the service are women but Ms Tarpey says more and more men are coming forward.
She said, “It took a while for the word to get out there that the service was open to men also. I also think that men maybe have more of an issue about coming forward about what has happened to them.
“Maybe men are trying suppress it a bit more and there is definitely a stigma about men coming forward, which is why this event coming up in November is a great way for men to get involved in the centre.”
Ms Tarpey said that while there is a waiting list for services, no person is turned away from the centre.
She explained, “We have a waiting list of about four months, generally. But nobody will ever be turned away. They will be seen immediately once they ring.
“In terms of giving them long-term counselling, they may have to wait a couple of months.”
Rape Crisis Midwest are also rolling out an educational programme in Clare schools, aimed at raising awareness among young people.
Ms Tarpey said, “I think most people would assume that rape is all about [a crime taking place at] 3am down an alleyway by someone wearing a balaclava.
“They are usually the cases that make the headline.
“Rapes are more common in a domestic situation or when it’s someone you bring home or a family relative.
“We’re trying to challenge that myth with teenagers.”