RapeCrisis Ireland

25/08/2026

Electronic tagging is set to be rolled out in Ireland by the end of the year, under a new 12-month pilot announced by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan TD.

For survivors of , monitoring tools like this can matter - particularly where an accused person is released on bail and a survivor needs assurance that any conditions such as exclusion zones or curfews are actually being enforced, not just imposed on paper.

But a tag is only as good as the system around it. It cannot replace robust risk assessment, timely breach responses, or a survivor's right to be informed when conditions are broken.

R**e Crisis Ireland does not envisage the risk assessment ever deeming it acceptable to send an accused person back to the home of the victim. Neither should tagging be used in serious offences, such as sexual assault, to shorten the time spent under sentence in jail.

As this pilot develops, we'll be watching closely for how - and whether - it's built with and communication at its centre.

Read an article in TheJournal.ie >> https://www.thejournal.ie/electronic-tagging-ireland-offenders-7140304-Aug2026/

The pilot phase will allow for the monitoring of between 90 and 150 individuals.

24/08/2026

ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY! ⏰

Applications are still open for R**eCrisis Ireland's Specialist Sexual Violence Training for Counsellors, starting October 2026.

This specialist qualification builds on generic counselling training, giving counsellors and psychotherapists the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to support people affected by .

The course runs two days a month from October 2026 to June 2027 at the Clayton Hotel, Sligo.

Topics include the dynamics of sexual violence, adult r**e and sexual assault, child sexual abuse, male r**e, po*******hy and perpetrators, counselling practice, body work, and intersectionality.

Rooted in the **eCrisis model - which situates sexual violence in context and treats trauma as political as much as personal - the training prepares qualified practitioners to help survivors navigate complex societal and cultural barriers in a way that empowers.

Our trainers are among the most experienced practitioners in the movement in Ireland.

Visit our website for full details and how to apply >> https://www.r**ecrisisireland.ie/specialist-sexual-violence-training-for-counsellors-applications-open/

Applications close: Monday 31st August 2026.

With thanks to Community Foundation Ireland for funding support to deliver this training in 2026–2027.



IACP - Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Irish Council for Psychotherapy

21/08/2026

Good luck to everyone taking part in the R**eCrisis Midwest kayak fundraiser tomorrow! We hope it is a fun day for all with lots of funds raised🙂

You can support the paddlers by donating here >> https://buy.stripe.com/00g4j463D3Sb2SQ00D

R**e Crisis Midwest has been supporting survivors of sexual violence in the Midwest since 1980. Over the past 11 years, since 2015, R**e Crisis Midwest have been delivering this event in association w

20/08/2026

📢 Save the date: The Relevance Test in Practice: Evidence, Justice and Survivors' Rights

We are delighted to invite you to a exploring the role of and in sexual offence proceedings.

🗓️ Thursday 1st October, 17:30-19:30

📍 Jury Assembly Room, Central Criminal Court, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8

This symposium will bring together leading voices to explore the critical question of relevance and the application of the in the context of both Section 3 (Sexual Experience) and Section 19A (Disclosure of Third-Party Records) applications before the courts.

Given the significant public discourse on matters of disclosure over the past year, this is a vital opportunity to build a deeper and wider understanding of how these aspects of criminal justice evidence operate in practice.

Research Launch: Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights, will launch groundbreaking research by Dr Sinéad Ring, Associate Professor in Law and Criminology at Maynooth University, on Section 3 applications, including the tension between relevance and credibility, with recommendations for reform.

Keynote Address: Prof Vanessa Munro, Professor of Law at the University of Warwick, will respond to Dr Ring’s findings, offering her perspective on how the relevance test is interpreted and the practical challenges it presents.

Expert Panel Discussion: A distinguished panel of legal professionals will explore the broader implications of these applications, including their impact on survivors.

This interdisciplinary event will bring together legal and policy professionals, advocates, NGOs, media and members of the public for a vital conversation on evidence, justice and survivors’ rights.

🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1982898954150?aff=oddtdtcreator

19/08/2026

📢 APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN for our Specialist Sexual Violence Training for Accredited Counsellors, commencing October 2026.

This specialist qualification builds on generic counselling training, equipping counsellors and therapists with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to support people affected by .

The course runs two days a month from October 2026 to June 2027 at the Clayton Hotel, Sligo.

Topics covered include the dynamics of sexual violence, adult r**e and sexual assault, child sexual abuse, male r**e, po*******hy and perpetrators, counselling practice, body work, and intersectionality.

Grounded in the **eCrisis model, which understands sexual violence in context and trauma as political as much as personal, the training aims to equip qualified practitioners to support survivors in breaking through complex societal and cultural barriers - in a manner that empowers.

Our trainers are drawn from the most experienced practitioners in the movement in Ireland.

See our website for more details and how to apply >> https://www.r**ecrisisireland.ie/specialist-sexual-violence-training-for-counsellors-applications-open/

Applications close 31st August 2026.

We're grateful to Community Foundation Ireland for funding support to roll out this training in 2026–2027.

18/08/2026

Participants are still being sought for the Lived Realities project, with survivors of asked to consider sharing their experiences of the trial process via a research interview with University of Limerick researchers who are investigating how legal reforms introduced in 2019 are working in practice.

Who can take part?

Survivors aged 18+, including adult survivors of who went through the trial process as an adult. All genders and all types of sexual offence are included. Whether or not the trial resulted in a conviction, your experience matters.

What's involved?

A 60–90 minute interview with a researcher to discuss the trial process and its impact on you.

Taking part offers a chance to share your lived experience in a safe, supportive setting and help policymakers understand the real-world impact of laws on sexual offence trials, informing meaningful proposals for reform.

Find out more >> www.ul.ie/lived-realities

The ‘Lived Realities’ Project is seeking survivors who have had experience of the offence trial process, writes Professor Susan Leahy.

13/08/2026

Why, in 2026, are r**e victims still being asked what they were wearing?

On this week's Deirdre O' Shaughnessy Podcast, reporter Ann Murphy discusses the backlash following the trial of Patrick Faulkner - convicted of ra**ng a 15-year-old girl at a Limerick party - where the victim's clothing was produced in court and she was asked whether she was wearing underwear.

Murphy also covers the continued absence of a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) in Limerick, leaving complainants there without adequate services - something for which R**eCrisis Midwest has long been advocating.

You can listen to the podcast here >> https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-41894392.html

This follows Irish Examiner reporting last week in which our Executive Director, Dr Cliona Saidlear, said the continued practice of producing victims' clothing as evidence should have been "consigned to the history books".

Nearly a decade on from , victims are still being re-traumatised by the same discredited tactic.

Consent is not what someone was wearing. It's time our courts reflected that.

You can read the article here >> https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41892775.html?fbclid=PAcGRvZgRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwyNTYyODEwNDA1NTgAAafbn0U-_NEvL3s26WT4MrvMkd_b7RwmAXtwXR1hTlsDieeEuQjuOd-aviiEEQ_aem_lb393vvOfJBgCaZOgSUDbA

Organisations supporting victims of sexual assault react to the Irish Examiner report clothing worn by a 15-year-old on the night she was r**ed was produced during the r**e trial of 24-year-old

06/08/2026

Our member R**e Crisis Centres deliver vital, often invisible work in communities across Ireland every single day.

In 2025 they supported 1,285 survivors - through helplines, appointments, and specialist, trauma-informed counselling.

They also:

✅ Responded to 15,135 helpline contacts - up 15.3% from 2024
✅ Offered 15,808 appointments to survivors seeking support
✅ Supported 544 new survivors for the first time
✅ Supported 104 supporters - family members and friends walking alongside survivors
✅ Saw 167 clients under 18 years old
✅ Supported a client base that was 87.8% female and 11.8% male - with over 50% more men and boys accessing counselling in 2025 compared to 2019
✅ Saw 20.6% more clients in 2025 than in 2018

These numbers represent survivors who reached out, often for the first time, and were met with specialist, trauma-informed support. They also reflect a service under sustained and growing demand - one that depends on continued investment to meet survivors where they are.

Every contact, every appointment, every conversation matters. We're proud to stand behind the work of our member **eCrisis Centres, and grateful to the staff and volunteers who make it possible.

Read more in our Annual Impact Report 2025 >>https://www.r**ecrisisireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/RCI-Annual-Report-2025.pdf

04/08/2026

Have you seen our 2025 Annual Impact Report yet?

Last year R**e Crisis Ireland worked across every part of the system that shapes a survivor's journey - training professionals, curating survivor data, shaping policy, and pushing for legislative reform.

In 2025 we:

✅ Trained 390 professionals across areas including court and Garda accompaniment, victim impact statements, legal obligations, data collection and processing, and governance

✅ Curated data from 1,415 survivors, strengthening the evidence base for advocacy and reform

✅ Participated in 24 consultative platforms across Government and civil society, ensuring survivors' realities inform policy at every level

✅ Made 5 submissions to the United Nations and Government on policy and legislative matters

✅ Saw 115 **eCrisis Centre staff inputting data into - our data collection system - building real-time insight nationwide

✅ Grew our online community to 16,659 followers by year end - up 4.34% from 2024

Read our full Annual Impact Report 2025 here >>https://www.r**ecrisisireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/RCI-Annual-Report-2025.pdf

29/07/2026

Our **eCrisisStatistics2025 report doesn't just document the scale of in Ireland - it points to where action is needed most.

Based on what survivors have told us through , our award-winning collection system, we're calling on Government to act on 17 Key Recommendations across three areas:

✅ Improved protection and support - sustained, needs-aligned funding for R**e Crisis Centres; evidence-driven, culturally responsive services; and survivors' voices kept central to shaping policy and change.

✅ Improved policies and practice - expanded specialist training across healthcare, education, justice and community sectors; robust national prevalence measurement; a public health response to po*******hy; and a clear framework to address child perpetrators in intra-familial abuse.

✅ Improved focus on prevention - disclosure training and public awareness initiatives; targeted outreach to underserved communities; stronger prevention education in schools; and a deeper, survivor-centred understanding of what shapes disclosure and reporting.

More than 1 in 5 survivors waited over a decade before disclosing their abuse to anyone. Ireland has made meaningful commitments through the Strategy and the Programme for Government, but commitments need accompanying action.

These recommendations are grounded in what survivors have told us: sustained investment, stronger policy, and a genuine whole-of-society approach to prevention.

Read our full 2025 statistics report, including our Key Recommendations (pages 8+9) here >> https://www.r**ecrisisireland.ie/research/rci-r**e-crisis-statistics-2025/