The Letterkenny Sexual Assault Treatment Unit incident, does not reflect the overall excellent services now available for Victims of Sexual Violence

Over the past two years huge improvements have been made in the care and treatment of victims of rape and sexual assault in Ireland. There are now 6 Sexual Assault Treatment Units throughout the country with two new units recently opened in Galway and Mullingar.

Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, Chief Executive, DRCC said “While it is totally unacceptable that a nurse working in the HSE system is not registered and that this is not detected by the system, it is an isolated case. It does not reflect the excellent work and the new developments in the training of Ireland’s first forensic nurse specialists who now work in the Sexual Assault Treatment Units throughout the country.

We urge victims not to be put off presenting to their local Sexual Assault Treatment Unit by this incident. These units provide an easily accessible holistic service for victims of sexual violence by addressing medical, psychological and emotional needs of each victim as well as collecting forensic evidence. The forensic evidence, while very important, varies in significance in each individual case.”