This article is from page 3 of the 2008-01-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
has also learned that almost 180 new clients reported that they had been raped or sexually assaulted in the mid-west last year.
Rape Crisis Midwest, which offers support to rape and sexual abuse vic- tims in Clare, Limerick and Tipper- ary, believes this figure is “only the tip of the iceberg”’.
The Rape Crisis outreach centre in Ennis increased its counselling last year. It offered 258 counselling hours to victims of rape or sexual abuse last year, which is an increase on 223 hours in 2006. It provided 173 hours in 2005, after opening in May of that year.
14 new clients were seen at the out-
reach centre in Ennis last year. All of those clients were from Clare, while a number of other clients from Clare travelled to the centre in Limerick.
There is also a continuous waiting list of one or two people in Ennis.
The co-ordinator of Rape Crisis Midwest, Miriam Duffy, said there was a definite need for the outreach centre to be opened in Ennis.
“It was identified by a number of clients in Clare as it was much more difficult for them to have to travel to Limerick. It is a lot more convenient
for those who can access it,’ she Cr HOR
“We are constantly aware of the level of sexual abuse that is out there,’ said Ms Duffy.
The number of hours offered to cli- ents varies, depending on each ind1- vidual case.
‘There is a waiting list, but we al- ways prioritise somebody who is in crisis,’ she added.
Ms Duffy said that 90 per cent of victims know their attackers.
“This idea of being dragged down
a dark alleyway does happen but the risk of being sexually assaulted by someone you know is greater,” she added.
Some victims do not report the abuse for years and their bad memo- ries are triggered by media coverage of fresh cases.
Ms Duffy said victims should re- port abuse as early as possible. ““The earlier they can get on to us, the bet- ter for themselves, as it will be less negative for them as they get on with their lives,’ she said.