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Lavinia Kerwick at today's DRCC conference in Dublin city. Andres Poveda

'It could be anyone - your sister, mother, niece or aunt - rape happens'

Lavinia Kerwick, the first rape survivor in Ireland to waive her anonymity, has called for more supports to be made available to fellow survivors.

LAVINIA KERWICK HAS called for additional supports to be made available to rape survivors who are navigating the judicial system.

Kerwick, the first rape survivor in Ireland to waive her anonymity after the man convicted of raping her received a suspended sentence, said survivors need guidance when dealing with such “a life-altering crime”.

“I also hope when a case comes to court, the legal system will understand that victims have already gone through so much to get that case to court and their bravery and belief in the judicial system should be acknowledged.

“A family has been torn apart, a victim’s life has become unrecognisable and every aspect of their life has been scrutinised. More supports are needed, especially going through the legal system. I can say that we don’t want to be there, it wasn’t in our plan.

“Don’t isolate victims or survivors even more by sidelining them. Yes we are there as a witness, but we are also there as human beings who don’t understand the language that is used in court by barristers, solicitors and judges,” she said. 

Kerwick made the remarks at a conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC).

Kerwick, who took part a famous interview with Gerry Ryan in 1993, said a counsellor once told her “it’s never too late to talk” and urged people to seek help if they need it. 

“Don’t underestimate rape survivors, yes there is pain and an emotional toll when we speak out, but we do it from a place of truth and conviction and because we want things to change.

“Rape is rape, it’s very unforgiving. The face of a victim or survivor is a powerful image and one that shows people how rape impacts them. It could be anyone – sister, mother, niece or aunt – and that’s the point: rape happens,” Kerwick stated. 

Savi report

The Savi – Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland – report conducted in 2002 is the last comprehensive national report we have on the topic. The government has committed to carrying out a new one, but said it could take five years to complete.

Ann Marie Gill, Chairperson of the Board of the DRCC, said the report is urgently needed.

“We are now more in need of another Savi report than ever because that was 20 years ago, life has changed,” Gill said, noting that more research also needs to be done on the impact the internet and social media is having, particularly on young people, in relation to sexual violence.

State funding of €150,000 was made available this year to allow the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which is overseeing the report, to carry out preliminary technical research. The preparatory phase of the project will include conducting a pilot survey in 2020.

The large-scale survey will look in detail at the experience of women and men in Ireland of sexual violence and abuse, with repeat surveys every decade.

“The goal is for an ongoing programme of high quality research in a sensitive and ethical way, to ensure a robust set of data to inform Government policy,” Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan recently said in the Dáil.

‘Absolutely catastrophic’

Gill noted that much has changed in the 40 years since the DRCC was set up, but that many problems remain.

“When the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre first opened its doors in 1979, it was not a crime for a man to rape his wife, can you believe it?,” she said, noting that this law was only brought in in 1990.

“So a lot has been done but there is a lot more to do,” she added.

The DRCC received 79 calls in 1979; it has received almost 14,500 calls to date in 2019.

The majority of people who contacted the centre last year (13,376 cases) were female (77.3%), while about one in five (21.6%) were male. The most common type of abuse people wished to discuss were adult rape (45%) and child sexual abuse (33%). 

“Rape and sexual abuse are still very much part of our society. The work of the centre is as challenging and necessary as ever,” Gill said.

Oonagh McPhillips, Deputy Secretary General with responsibility for criminal justice at the Department of Justice and Equality, said supporting rape survivors is “absolutely a priority for the department”.

She said a range of measures are being implemented in Ireland in order to ratify the Istanbul Convention which aims to prevent and combat violence, including sexual violence, against women.

“It’s not any one thing, it’s a range of things,” she said, noting the importance of training  the judiciary, solicitors and gardaí so they are better equipped to help survivors of sexual and domestic violence. 

McPhillips said one area of particular concern is the attrition rate in rape cases in Ireland. “The attrition rate is absolutely catastrophic, there’s no doubt about that,” she stated.

McPhillips said the inclusion of coercive control, whereby a partner or ex-partner displays a persistent pattern of controlling or threatening behaviour, in the Domestic Violence Act 2018 ia “one really powerful thing” that has been achieved in recent years.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence you can contact the DRCC’s National 24-Hour Helpline on 1800 778 888. More support information is available here.

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42 Comments
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    Mute mart_n
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    Sep 10th 2012, 9:34 PM

    What a load of bollix. ‘Al Qaeda’s Second in command’ killed.. what does that even mean? I’m pretty sure the second in command has been killed a few times already. Right on the anniversary of the big day too… A lot of people must not have closed their eyes on 9/11, because their wishes for a better world aren’t coming true.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:02 PM

    Well I chose to believe he is Al Qaeda and I’m happy for him, that he has been granted his most fervent of holiest of desires. He has gone to meet his maker.

    It’s just a pity that with this one gone there are a dozen more to take his place.

    BTW I’m not saying who is right or who is wrong. I have not studied this unholy mess enough to be able to declare any sort of definitive statement.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:24 PM

    Mart, can I ask you an honest question? If you’re running a business and one of your managers leave, are you going to replace him/her? Of course you are. The second in command has been killed a few times because they’ve killed a few across the globe and all were different individuals. They did kill the top, Bin Laden, in Pakistan so obviously they’re capable of promoting people.

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    Mute Aidan Geraghty
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:45 PM

    But i see Mart’s point….

    But like, Al Queda are a bunch out of control nut cases so is there really a ‘second in command’ ? it’s silly talk.

    I’d have more faith in the announcement if they said ‘one of the biggest headers in Al Queda was bursted’

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:03 PM

    Well technically lads this is the No 2 in Yemen. I’m sure they have more no 2′s in other national branches like afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq , Sudan etc.

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    Mute Michael Tuohy
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:05 PM

    It means the 2nd in command was killed! luder

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    Mute Adrian Nolan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:06 PM

    I reckon they should just target the nasty human resources manager who keeps filling the top vacancy’s and be done with it.

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:59 PM

    How can u have a second in command for organization that doesn’t excist except on database in the pentagon. Its ridiculous to say that there is any structure to islamic fundementalists its a patsy organisation.

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    Mute Pádraig O'hEidhin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 2:30 AM

    Al queda are a peacefull organisation. Its full of holymen and dogooders. Where did they get misunderstood along the way?

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 9:06 AM

    It’s a phantom group created by the Americans in the 1980′s and used to keep a neverending war on terror going. For god sake the Bushes and the Bin-Laden families were in bussiness to-gether in a Oil company called Arbusco in the 80′s and 90′s.

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 9:16 AM

    Please ignore misplaced hyphen above…thanks!

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    Mute Éamonn Tiernan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 9:16 PM

    Is Chandler alright?!?

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    Mute Paul Breen
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    Sep 11th 2012, 11:13 AM

    Yes, this happened nowhere near Yemen Road.

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    Mute alan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:04 PM

    the real issue here isnt whether or they are killing the first second or third or hundreth in command. the real issue is the number of people being killed in afghanistan and iraq every day. the killing there, on both sides, continues unabated. so much for the success of the invasions

    and it is amazing the way that the americans won’t admit to al q not being a traditional military force. they surely cannot believe that headline grabbers like this will distract from a serious analysis of what al q actually areand how they operate?

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    Mute Stewie Griffin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:54 PM

    your right alan. but i cant fault the usa in going to war in Afghanistan it had to happen really and could have been avoided by the Taliban and in a way it was good that the americans went in. Of course there are alot being killed. but its it more or less then if the Taliban (murders) were left in power. shooting woman and little girls for rumours ??

    Iraq thats different story that was completely wrong and i believe for this g.w.bush and tony blair should be held to account for the implosion of iraq and the descent into chaos . they expected a clean war like the first gulf war but like churchill said when you go to war you go into a world that unpredictable and you cannot control the outcome of events.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 11th 2012, 1:43 AM

    Alan, you do realize that yemini troops killed this guy. Have you ask the govt of yemen why they are going after al Qaeda? Is because they pose a risk in Yemen?

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    Mute Edward Carr
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:53 PM

    I’m sure he was al qaeda but really every few weeks the second in command is killed they must be pumping them out on the factory line by the 100s

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    Mute Stewie Griffin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:02 PM

    true but your getting rid of the experienced guys at the top bit by bit that fought the soviets and organised the big terror events. Losing that experience is what matters, can always replace but what are you replacing with if you get me

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:22 PM

    Rehabilitation programme in Saudi Arabia?
    Well that didn’t work.
    The man must have had serious connections.

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    Mute JP SHERRY
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    Sep 11th 2012, 12:40 AM

    Trial by bullet

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    Mute Pádraig O'hEidhin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 2:33 AM

    I don’t believe a word of it. Bin laden was such a friendly looming chap.

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