Signs of Hope: Survivors of sexual violence encourage silent majority of victims to reach out to 24-Hour National Rape Crisis Helpline 1800 77 88 88 

Survivors of sexual violence encourage silent majority of victims to reach out to 24-Hour National Rape Crisis Helpline 1800 77 88 88 

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s Signs of Hope campaign sends message to all those who have experienced the trauma of sexual violence: ‘When you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen’.   

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) has launched an awareness campaign today (Monday, 14 October) that encourages survivors of sexual violence to call the National Rape Crisis Helpline 1800 77 88 88.   

Entitled ‘Signs of Hope’, the campaign centres on direct messages from survivors who have benefitted from support and advice, to the silent majority of victims who have never accessed services.  

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre hopes that throughout its 4-week duration, the campaign will encourage one additional person every hour to call the 24-hour National Helpline and get the support they need and deserve.    

Chief Executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Rachel Morrogh, said: “As many as 4 in 5 people affected by sexual violence do not access support services. This silent majority carry the trauma of sexual violence on their own, often not telling anyone else what happened to them. The premise of this campaign is that survivors who have accessed support services are sending a message of hope and encouragement to the many who haven’t. We want to let them know that the National Rape Crisis Helpline, run by Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, offers free, non-judgmental and confidential support. This is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.  

“We know from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Sexual Violence Survey that victims of sexual violence say that there are many reasons behind the fact they didn’t seek support from a service. The most referenced reasons include that they felt their experience was not important enough, that they were embarrassed or ashamed, that they believed they were to blame in some way, and that they feared they would not be believed.   

“Dublin Rape Crisis Centre hopes that the messages from the survivors involved in this campaign will reassure them that when you call the 24-Hour National Rape Crisis Helpline, you will be heard and you will be believed.”  

One of the eight survivors lending their voice to the campaign is Chris Rooke. Speaking ahead of the launch, he said: “I know that many victims of sexual assault haven’t disclosed what happened to them or accessed services. Some people may feel that support isn’t available for them or that they don’t qualify for it. My message to other survivors out there is that whatever happened, whenever it took place, whoever it was that did it to you, that your experience matters and you deserve to have support. Many people are sitting in silence with little or no support network and I want them to know that they are not alone.  

“The reason I got involved in the campaign is that I know from my own experience that the stories of sexual violence in the media don't always reflect the wide variety of sexual violence that takes place in Ireland. I wish I had known that there were other people with similar experiences to me because I would have felt more confident that I deserved support and have known where to go to get it. It’s so important to open people’s eyes to the wide range of experiences that fall under the umbrella of sexual violence and that everyone knows that telling their story and seeking support is the first step to healing.”  

Ciara Mangan, a survivor of sexual violence and participant in the campaign, hopes her message will encourage people to make that first call for help. “I know what it feels like when a community turns against you even though it is you who is the victim. I know how isolating and devastating that can be. Therefore, my message to survivors who are struggling in silence, is that making a call to the National Rape Crisis Helpline can make a huge difference. At the time the man who raped me was sent to jail, I credited Rape Crisis Centres for saving my life and that’s still the truth. It may feel easier to brush what happened under the carpet, but I hope that by hearing directly from someone who benefitted from the services out there, that other victims will be encouraged to make that call.”  

After waiving her anonymity, survivor Bláthnaid Raleigh said that many people reached out to her on social media to share their own experiences.  “During and after the trial of the man who raped me, I was struck by the number of people who contacted me to share what had happened to them. Many of them said that they didn’t feel they could speak to friends or family and this really resonated with me because for a while during my own journey, I wasn’t able to talk about what was happening. It can be a very lonely place and it can feel like you have to carry so much on your own. The message that I really want people to know is that there are many supports out there, like Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, who understand the impact and want to support you.   

“Dealing with trauma is not easy and sometimes you can feel like you can’t talk to the people closest to you about these difficult things. For those hard moments, the National Rape Crisis Helpline is there for you.”  

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre received almost 19,000 contacts to the National Rape Crisis Helpline in 2023, this figure, while significant, represents only a small proportion of the 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men in Ireland who will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. The National Sexual Violence Survey 2022 showed fewer than half of survivors had disclosed to another person and of those who had, only about 1 in 5 had accessed support from a service.  

  

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s message to all those who have experienced the trauma of sexual violence is clear: when you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen. 

 

/ENDS 

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Notes:    

1. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is a non-governmental, voluntary organisation which has as its mission to prevent the harm and heal the trauma of rape. It offers a suite of services to victims/survivors of sexual violence. It also offers a wide range of training and education to professionals and volunteers.   
2. Signs of Hope has been developed in collaboration with Publicis Dublin, whose pro-bono creative and strategic work has made the campaign possible. 
3. The 24-Hour National Rape Crisis Helpline is funded by Cuan, the National DSGBV Agency.  
4. The Central Statistics Office Sexual Violence Survey 2022: www.cso.ie/en/statistics/crimeandjustice/sexualviolencesurvey/  
5. DRCC operates the 24-hour National Helpline 1800 778888 to support anyone affected by sexual violence in any part of the country. A webchat support service is available online at drcc.ie Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm.  
   • A Helpline Interpreting Service is available for those who do not speak English - more at https://bit.ly/DRCClang  
   • For those contacting the Helpline who are deaf or hard of hearing, we provide a text service, operating Mon-Fri from 8am to 6:30pm, at 086-8238443  
   • We also have a webchat service available Monday-Friday, 10am to 5pm, except holidays. 
6. Other DRCC services and work:   
   • Information on your options after sexual violence is available for free online at any time at www.drcc.ie/fyw in the Finding Your Way after Sexual Violence guide. 
   • DRCC offers counselling & therapy to adult survivors of sexual violence and to older adolescents from 16 years of age with parental/guardian consent. 
   • DRCC provides accompaniment support for the Rotunda Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, to court or to Garda stations to people in Dublin and in surrounding areas, by arrangement.    
   • We-Consent is a new long-term national programme to inform, educate and engage with all members of our society about consent. More information and resources on having consent conversations at https://www.we-consent.ie/ 
   • DRCC has satellite centres at Coolock, Dóchas Women’s Centre, Balbriggan & Tallaght. Access to these services must be arranged via the National Helpline 1800 778888 during working hours, Mon-Fri.