#MeToo movement credited with increase in calls to Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
The #MeToo movement resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of calls received by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre towards the end of last year.
The movement which started in October, saw celebrities speak about their experiences of sexual harassment.
The following month was the busiest ever recorded by the organisation.
Almost 13,000 people contacted the centre in 2017, an increase of 500 on the year previous.
CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeline Blackwell said #MeToo made people realise they weren't alone:
(Victims) were disclosing because it suddenly became clear to them, they were not the only people in this situation and that they might be believed if they disclosed.
"One of the things that abusers do very often is isolate people, tell them they are on their own.
"#MeToo showed that people weren't on their own."
