Highest ever contacts to National Rape Crisis Helpline in 2023

Last year, the National Rape Crisis Helpline recorded over 18,600 contacts which is the highest level ever in Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s 45-year history. This and other data are detailed in DRCC’s annual report.

The report shows the largest groups in contact with the freephone National Helpline in 2023 were women, first-time callers and those aged between 18 and 29 years of age.

The largest proportion of people contacting the Helpline wanted to discuss rape that had occurred as an adult (4 in 10), followed by childhood sexual abuse (1 in 3), and sexual assault as an adult (1 in 6).

Continuing the trend of recent years, many callers to the freephone 24-hour National Rape Crisis Helpline had mental health concerns, with over 500 calls relating to suicide ideation over the course of 2023. These calls were observed every month but there were spikes occurring in April, August and towards the end of the year. Helpline support workers also noted more callers expressing worry about homelessness and other concerns that compounded the trauma caused by sexual violence.

Among DRCC’s therapy clients in 2023, over 7 in 10 had experienced sexual violence as an adult, while 3 in 10 had been abused as children. Almost half of therapy clients were receiving counselling because they had been raped, this was followed by 1 in 6 who had been sexually assaulted and the remainder of clients had suffered a range of sexual violence including online abuse and sexual harassment. In 2023, 89% of clients were women, 10% were men and 1% identified as other.

Accompaniment support work continued to be a substantial focus for DRCC in 2023, supporting 286 people through the justice system, including 186 people who were accompanied to report sexual crimes and 100 more who were given accompaniment support in trials, hearings and other court processes. The team provided emotional support to 306 survivors seeking forensic medical treatment at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Dublin and further support to 202 of their family and friends.

During 2023 the organisation launched its national We Consent campaign to inform, educate and engage with all members of Irish society about consent, and also created a specialised online resource for victims and survivors, Finding Your Way After Sexual Violence. 

More information.