We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
IT IS ALWAYS the case that a small amount of money spent on effective programmes will lead to a much larger saving in total cost in the future
The recent research from the ESRI confirms not only the psychological impact of childhood sexual abuse on individuals but, for the first time, we have research which highlights the economic impact of childhood sexual abuse, throughout survivors’ entire lives.
The DRCC has been responding to the needs of the victims of childhood sexual abuse since it opened its doors in 1979 as well as victims of recent rape and sexual assault. In 2002 the SAVI Report (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland, McGee et al) was published and to date it is the most comprehensive research on attitudes and beliefs in Ireland to sexual violence. Since its publication we have also experienced the horrendous stories from the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne reports.
We welcome the information that the ESRI’s research is highlighting as it confirms once again the stories we are hearing in rape crisis centres, on the helplines and in the therapy rooms though out the country. However, we also need a second SAVI to make the necessary comparisons so that we get a truer picture of the prevalence of these crimes in order to inform national policy on responding and combating this most heinous crime in our society.
It is very important that we have robust research to inform national policies. The ESRI’s publication on the Long-term Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) on Incomes and the Labour Force Status among its findings tells us that, 17% of men who were victims of childhood sexual abuse were permanently sick or had a disability and out of the labour force as a result of their experiences, versus 8% of men who we not victims. Male survivors were twice as likely to be living alone.
In 2005 the UN conducted an in-depth study on the impact of violence against women across 13 countries and estimated the annual cost to the economy of theses 13 countries to be in the region of €50 billion in lost employment, productivity and the cost in human pain and suffering including court costs, hospital costs etc. It would be very interesting to know what the actual cost is to the Irish economy of childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence in general. The ESRI in its research notes that:
It should be noted that these figures could well understate the true incidence of childhood sexual abuse if people are reluctant to report such experiences.
This is not a time to cut back further on services such as those delivered by rape crisis centres across the country. Now we know it does not made any economic sense. Services that are there 24/7 to respond to the needs of the victims of sexual violence in our society, victims of childhood sexual abuse and victims of recent rape and sexual assault. It is always the case that a small amount of money spent on effective programmes will lead to a much larger saving in total cost in the future.
From our experiences those who are able to avail of these services are helped to get on with the rest of their lives but we need the research to further build on the SAVI and ESRI Reports so that we can know for sure that support services like rape crisis centres are having a positive effect. While it is our experience, working with victims and survivors, that the supports they receive do help them enormously, we still need the research to confirm our experiences.
Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop is the CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. This article first appeared on drcc.ie.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
There are some services in society where money shouldn’t be an issue.
There should never be cuts to this type of service.
We should proactively always looking for ways to improve this type of service with no compromises!
This is an issue which has to be firmly kept in check as too many vindictive individuals make use of a rape allegation for financial gain or vengeful reasons.
Any many many more don’t
A co-worker of mine at a rape crisis centre once made this point, “why on earth would you sit through a confidential therapy group session if you’re making it up? What would you ever get out of it?”
Not to mention that false reporting tends to be around 5% (according to government and academic research), similar to other false crime reports.
@Antonov
“…as too many vindictive individuals make use of a rape allegation for financial gain or vengeful reasons.”
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
About 2% of rape accusations are false claims. The rest are not.
Florence…you better come across with more corroborating evidence to substantiate your claim.
Even if you were correct it is totally unacceptable to use false rape allegations for whatever reason.
Antonov you’re aware that the Rape Crisis Centre doesn’t hand out cash payments to the people who turn up there right? It provides support to people who’ve been raped.
You’re totally off-topic Anton.
It’s a false economy to ignore the cost of false rape allegations Denise.
They create their own victims who are poorly protected in law because the system affords protection to the accuser. They also have an adverse affect on the actual prosecution of genuine cases.
Antonov is definitely on-topic.
I’m sorry , just to clarify we are cutting funding to these services ? I’m finding this extremely hard to believe we have actually reached this point now … WTF is about all I can say
The service should be expanded and in that expansion services should be offered to the 50% of the population that is completely denied this service.
Who does the DRCC not serve?
Having had experience previously that you’re an MRA troll, you’re clearly not a very intelligent troll, or you would have bothered to research that DRCC does work with men. The article also specifically highlights childhood sexual abuse – the time of life when men are most likely to be abused and an abuse which was historically ignored.
This is why no one takes MRAs seriously.
The RCC is unisex. You’re mixing it up with domestic violence centres.
shelters
What is an MRA?
I mistakenly thought they were talking about funding to women’s shelters. Why not take me out back and shoot me so.
With some domestic violence services. It’s disappointing, but unsurprising, that Jake would not actually research the specific policy on an organisation he’s criticising.
For example, I’ve found that plenty of refuges are inadequately equipped for those with mobility problems (especially problematic since those with disabilities are more likely to be abused). However, I make sure the criticism does apply to a specific organisation. Jake could perhaps be taken more seriously if he did likewise.
Hysterical personal attacks. A sure fire way to be taken seriously. =P
Or I could just point out the ridiculousness of assuming an organisation does not offer services to men without bothering to read the article or research the policy of the organisation in question? Do you equate criticism with being shot?
Also, maybe chill on calling people hysterical, when your answer to “actually, you’re making an erroneous point the service of an agenda” is to talk about being shot….
I read the article. Was just having a senior moment.
I support the rape crisis centres as much as you do. I’m also pro choice and marched for Savita.
Perhaps if you lot spent less time nagging people, more folks would be willing to call themselves feminists? Just a thought.
“Do you equate criticism with being shot?”
No, I equate people going on and on about mistakes that have already been admitted to being shot.
“No, I equate people going on and on about mistakes that have already been admitted to being shot.” Yes, and people say MRAs have no sense of perspective and proportion!
The article itself mentions the work DRCC does with men who have been abused. It’s a trauma which can have lifelong consquences and perhaps if you spent a lot more time educating yourself about the work they do with survivors, rather than assuming that they *must* discriminate against men and jumping down the throat of people who have benefitted from the work of sexual violence services (and are keen to defend the wonderful support they received), more people would think you had a valid point? Just a thought.
What is an MRA?
Google is your friend. But in a nutshell, John Waters.
And to clarify, I think criticising a service for not making sure the needs of various survivors are met is a fair criticism and should be made. But if your first kneejerk reaction is “oh, I assume this service doesn’t support men, I’ll comment before I even bother to research whether that’s true,” then you’re forgetting what’s actually important – that cuts would mean many survivors would live isolated and dealing with PTSD.
Oooh Nick you got called a nag AND hysterical. So that leaves emotional, shrill and hormonal and you’ll have a bingo
I didn’t assume this service didn’t support men. I confused it with a different service that I already knew in advance does not serve men.
Also, my criticism was that the service I confused it with should get more money and expand its operations!
“you’re forgetting what’s actually important – that cuts would mean …”
I’m not forgetting anything and I didn’t at any point advocate cuts to anything. I am 100% behind the rape crisis centre an the work that they do.
If you’re so concerned about abuse and violence, why do you mock and minimise women who are forced to leave their homes due to specific and realistic threats, just because they are feminists?
Showing your arse a bit, mate.
By MRA you mean Mens Rights Activist and that’s supposed to be an insult?
Is it only PC to advocate for women’s rights now?
“why do you mock and minimise women who are forced to leave their homes due to specific and realistic threats, just because they are feminists?”
Perhaps in the real world verbal debate where everyone quickly forgets what was said you can get away with this kind of straw mannery, but anyone reading this can scroll up and see that I didn’t say anything remotely like that.
Being an MRA is to opposing rigid gender roles what being a member of PETA is to vegans. You can hold those views without belonging to a movement which violently threatens women/claiming milk causes autism. I think Dee is referring to your views on Anita Sarkeesian?
And the best thing here (the non-hysterical thing, if you will) would have been instead of going for martyrdom and claiming you were being persecuted on the level of being shot, to have gone, “yeah, you’re right, I probably shouldn’t have just assumed men couldn’t access the services.” Probably would have won a lot more people over. Take the advice as you will!
“Being an MRA is to opposing rigid gender roles what being a member of PETA is to vegans.”
Not sure I get you. You’re saying MRAs oppose rigid gender rolls too much for your liking in the same way some vegans might consider PETA to be too extreme?
I have no interest in winning people over. I am more interested in the truth. I won’t say this…
“yeah, you’re right, I probably shouldn’t have just assumed men couldn’t access the services.”
…because it isn’t true. As I have already explained, I did not assume these services were for men only.
“I think Dee is referring to your views on Anita Sarkeesian?”
Oh yes. She applies neo-marxist critical theory (which is complete pseudo-intellectual tripe) to video games and profits from victimhood. Like I said, I am interested in truth. What she does is an insult to real victims.
Yes, that’s the problem most people have with John Waters and MRAs. They’re just too radical in wanting a genderless society (which weirdly looks like Catholic-led 1950s Ireland. Because gender had no implications then!)
Well PETA and vegans are natural allies. What on earth did you mean by this?
“Being an MRA is to opposing rigid gender roles what being a member of PETA is to vegans”
I don’t think you’re familiar with PETA – they use tactics such as claiming that milk causes autism (which obviously has no scientific support.) You can support veganism and animals rights and still think the mockery of science is disgusting.
Similarly, I know plenty of amazing men who hold fairly feminist views and totally disagree with the idea that men should hold a breadwinning role in their family, rather than a caregiving one, disagree with the idea of masculinity as meaning that men should “just deal with” mental health issues or trauma after abuse and challenge street harassment.
To them, the MRA goal of returning to a world where men work while women are prohibited from working after marriage, criminally sanctioning abortion and telling survivors to keep quiet about their abuse seems like a step backwards, not forwards.
And as a sidenote, most of these men educate themselves about which services do and don’t support a variety of survivors.
“the MRA goal of returning to a world where men work while women are prohibited from working after marriage, criminally sanctioning abortion and telling survivors to keep quiet about their abuse seems like a step backwards”
I don’t agree with or advocate any of those things, so calling me an MRA is just an empty insult, like me claiming you’re a scientologist.
MRAs tend to be the kind of people who comment, “but what about men, you’re ignoring men?” on every single article, even if the service involved provides generous, healing support for men and boys.
It’s rather sad, when I saw this article, I thought, “how long before some uninformed individual claims men are being forgotten?” Not long, apparently.
That’s probably because men often are forgotten. Especially when it comes to domestic abuse. I’m happy to see that the Journal has started showing al ittle balance on that issue.
Except men are service users of DRCC. so if you’re going to claim services which support men actually ignore them, you, Jake, are not going to be taken seriously as someone with an understanding of the barriers men have with specific services.
Also disappointing that I’ve never once seen a man point out the problems with LGBT access to services or issues for those who have mobility or other disability issues. almost as if you don’t care about access problems which don’t affect you.
As I said, there are valid issues with men accessing services. Your words here today just have meant that you are not a useful advocate for them.
“Except men are service users of DRCC”
Wow, you really enjoy running around in circles and yet you accuse me of trolling.
“Also disappointing that I’ve never once seen a man point out the problems…”
And now we get to the bottom of it all. Your problem isn’t with MRAs at all is it? It is with men. Sweeping generalisations.
“Your words here today just have meant that you are not a useful advocate for them.”
Yes, yes lets just write people off for the tiniest mistake and chase away all our potential allies. Some social justice warrior you are.
My problem with men? Aww, bless, another MRA trait: confusing my problem with your attitude (which assumes men must be discriminated against without bothering to research facts) with the idea that I must hate men.
Sorry, but your general attitude has convinced me that you’re no social justice advocate and no ally of mine, in addition to being overdramatic and hysterical. You also haven’t realise that if you want to start domestic violence services which serve men, your best allies would be those experienced in supporting DV survivors. You’re doing little to win us over, by the way!
Sorry, you are the one who wrote “Also disappointing that I’ve never once seen a man point out the problems”. You didn’t express disappointment in MRAs here, you expressed disappointment in men.
“your best allies would be those experienced in supporting DV survivors”
Well, when I was a victim of domestic violence I had absolutely nobody to turn to. I wouldn’t know much about the services provided by those who support DV survivors because those services are not avaialble to me.
I am disappointed in anyone who ignores the needs of those with disabilities. Unfortunately, I’ve noted when people talk about DV services, the insufficent services for men is always mentioned – never the problems of those with disabilities. The only conclusion I can draw from that is that you don’t care if something doesn’t affect you directly.
And ironically DRCC would have been a support service available for you.
This service has been closed in Ennis for the next four weeks limerick service is limited and nenagh will be closing for two weeks
I really question the need for all these rape crises centres!
How many cases of rape and sexual assault occur each year?
Are we getting value for money?
How much money are the managers and officials employed by these centres making?
Do we need all the centres?
Ellen states in her piece: “It would be very interesting to know what the actual cost is to the Irish economy of childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence in general.” It would and I think we should make steps about finding out the answer, then we will know the answers to the questions I posed above.
Some piece of work aren’t ya? Of course we need services for men, women and children to deal with rape. In a country where many sexual attacks are not even reported we need to ensure the infrastructure is in place everywhere so that the stigma is removed from the victims and they are not afraid to speak up.
Rape or sexual abuse should be punished as severly as murder as the act of sexual abuse destroys people’s lives.
You must live a fantastic dream like life!!Sexual violence against women and children happen on a daily basis, tragically for some people it is a regular part of their lives for years, because of judgemental people like you, many people keep their secret hidden. Many women deal with this on a daily basis, not contacting agencies or telling anyone due to fear for their children and themselves. Many male victims keep it secret due to fear and shame.
Professionals working on the ground are on a average wage, for a job that many would want double pay for the graphic situations they listen to daily. You should go into the gynae dept of any hospital and ask doctors to tell you about the internal injuries they see on a regular basis, the majority of women don’t even report
Since the article begins with an economic argument (which it never supports), it’s fair to ask the question. Tasteless, certainly, but that’s the author’s fault.
From the article:
“From our experiences those who are able to avail of these services are helped to get on with the rest of their lives but we need the research to further build on the SAVI and ESRI Reports so that we can know for sure that support services like rape crisis centres are having a positive effect. While it is our experience, working with victims and survivors, that the supports they receive do help them enormously, we still need the research to confirm our experiences.”
“Are we getting value for money?” – it’s not about you, Proinsias, or what you get from it.
Isn’t that exactly what the article says it *is* about?
To all bitching about my post.
As a taxpayer I’m entitled to know if we are getting value for money. Therefore I think before we go throwing money at these centres I think we should have some idea on how many rapes and sexual assaults are reported and the locations. With this information we can determine the need for these centres and the best place to locate them.
As a taxpayer if I am contributing to their wages then I would also like to know the salaries of those employed by the them.
As a member of this society I would ensure that when discussing this topic I refrain from placing any more guilt onto those who suffer sexual abuse. As a taxpayer I would rather see my taxes go to support those in genuine need then to line the pockets of fat cats. The reason why many women, children and men do not report is due to shame and guilt so I feel it is important that when this matter is discussed we do not point fingers at victims or those trying to help them. If any thing is not effective it is those in power who refuse to acknowlege the severity of this form of abuse. They refuse to do this by not punishing those responsible adequately, they deny rights to women who are pregnant as a result of rape, they do not openly raise awareness of male victims and they continually refuse to properly serve survivors of abuse. I hope there can be more open discussions regarding the issue of sexual abuse and less stigma.
Prionsios
I hope you never have to access these services I really do!
For the people that do, the support they receive and the life they start to rebuild is priceless.
Isn’t it better that tax goes to this kind if cause, than some of the places it ends up.
I concede, that like any other operation costs/wages have to be monitored and suitable staffing levels for certain areas, an nobody should get rich from this!
But if people trying to access this service were told there was a waiting list or they had to travel to access the service, would they be as likely to try?
Also I hate the attitude of “I pay their wages”.
The Rape Crises Centre didn’t say a thing when TV3 allowed a comment about rape to go without even an apology. The comment was related to the Shell to sea protest when a recording was played on tv3 and Vincent Bown said and I quote “Sure all men say – I Would love to rape her.” This was said at the end of the program when the credits were running and edited out on the player online. Why should the people who run this centre get support when they allow these comments to be aired publicly?.
The Rape Crises Centre deserves support but not with the present board members as not one objected or not one journalist objected to this comment.
Has the increased availability of porn had an influence in the reduction of rape crime
You might as well ask about the increase in sheep population following the introduction of subsidies.
have your say