Tripling in Cork city’s reported rapes a ‘wake-up’ call

“I, for one, welcome the increase in these figures,” she said. “The rise in these figures is coming a bit closer to the reality of rape in this city.”

She was speaking after a meeting of the Cork City Joint Policing Committee yesterday heard that the number of reported rapes of a male or female has jumped from 13 between January and November 2016 to 40 for the same period this year — a 208% increase.

Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin said the figures have risen in other parts of the country as well and that further analysis is needed to determine why there has been such an increase in the Cork figures.

However ,he said, many of the reported cases are historical and the spike in figures most likely reflects greater confidence among victims of rape to report the crime to gardaí.

He also said the establishment just over a year ago of a dedicated garda unit to investigate rape and sexual assault, the Divisional Protective Services Unit, which comprises a detective inspector, two detective sergeants and 10 detective gardaí, has helped streamline the investigation of rape and sexual assault.

However, Ms Crilly said that, despite the enhanced garda unit, rape remains one of the most unreported crimes in Ireland, and victims still blame themselves.

“The fact is that one in five adult females is raped or is the victim of sexual assault in their lifetime but only one in four of these cases is reported,” she said.

“And the fact is that 80% of girls who are raped are raped by someone they know or trust.”

She said the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital has conducted more than 130 forensic examinations so far this year.

Not all those examined were from Cork, and not all had a garda present, she said.

However, Ms Crilly said the volume of tests conducted, as compared to the number of reported rapes, shows just how much work remains to be done.

“What’s heartbreaking, what makes me angry, and why I keep going, is that victims still feel it’s their fault. That’s what drives me mad,” she said.

“Everything that comes from them reinforces that they were in some way to blame.

“We need to change the conversation about the guys that are doing this. The minority of guys who are doing this will continue to do it, and that’s what we need to stop.”

The Cork Sexual Violence Centre worked with 247 clients this year and fielded 1,500 calls.

You can contact the centre on 1800 496 496 or at sexualviolence.ie.

This story originally appeared in the Irish Examiner.