REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE DUNDALK RAPE CRISIS CENTRE
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE DUNDALK RAPE CRISIS CENTRE ON WEDNESDAY, 4 NOVEMBER, 1998
I would like to thank you for inviting me to be with you today to formally launch the Dundalk Rape Crisis Centre – a very welcome development marking a milestone in the provision of facilities for the victims of rape and sexual abuse – and a valuable addition to the range of services available to victims of sex-related crime in County Louth – and the surrounding counties of Meath, Cavan , Monaghan, Armagh, Down and as far away as Tyrone.
The provision of rape crisis facilities is a relatively new issue and has come into focus with an increase in the level of awareness and understanding of the incidence of rape - of the profound impact that the trauma can mean for victims – of the need for adequate treatment, recovery and counselling facilities – and an appreciation of the importance of early professional assistance for victims.
While it is disturbing to see that the number of reported rapes and sexual assaults is on the increase, despite the decline in crime generally – it may very well be that some of that increase is attributable to the availability of centres where victims can receive the level of understanding and support that enables them to report what has happened and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Rape is a terrible crime – a violation of the person which goes against the most basic of human rights – and causes great physical and emotional suffering.
In a sense, we are still very much on a learning curve - still coming to terms with the extent of the problem – still trying to learn as we go along about how best to treat victims both on a personal level and in the legal system. In September, I launched the report “The Legal Process and Victims of Rape”, which sets out the results of the year-long research project covering the experiences of a number of rape victims in five countries – including Ireland – along with a comparative study of the legal processes in the sixteen member states of the European Union. It makes compelling reading for anybody who has an interest in how the victims of rape are handled in the search for justice – and highlights the experiences of victims in the judicial systems in Ireland and England. The experiences of Irish victims relate how they find the court appearances themselves to be the most traumatic part of the process – and they describe their experiences for the most part as being negative and traumatic.
Our legal system is only beginning to get comfortable with talking about the experiences of victims, it is a relatively new phenomenon. In the legal system generally we tend to talk about what actually happened to the victims – and until recent years we have not thought to explore what the victims were thinking or feeling. But we have started to see the beginning of a stronger victims’ consciousness – in, for example, the increasing use of victim impact reports in court.
The serious concern with which the Government views the violence against women is reflected in that it established a Steering Committee on Violence Against Women, working on the development of a national response to the issue. This Committee is representative of a wide range of interests concerned with violence against women including the Federation of Rape Crisis Centres – and has objectives which include ensuring that regional and local structures are established; developing public awareness campaigns; and co-ordinating and advising on the distribution of resources among the eight Health Board Regions. It will also advise on policies concerning perpetrators, criminal justice intervention, services and supports.
I know too that the issue of legal representation has been considered on a number of occasions – by the Law Reform Committee, the Second Commission on the Status of Women and by the Task force on Violence Against Women. It is encouraging to see that more and more efforts are being made to provide a sympathetic and consolidated approach to the treatment of violence against women. Regional Committees have been established in each of the Health Board Areas and they will draw together the services available in each of the regions.
I would like to finish by congratulating everyone associated with the launch of the Dundalk Rape Crisis Centre and I wish you every success meeting the challenges that lie ahead.
Thank You.