Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I am glad to have the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment. Last week the UK branch of Amnesty International published a survey on attitudes to sexual crimes. According to the results of that survey, 34% of people in the United Kingdom regard the victim of rape as being either partially or totally to blame for the act, if she acted in a flirtatious manner.

While this statistic is shocking an equally worrying parallel exists in Irish society, namely, according to the SAVI survey conducted in 2002, 47% of men versus 34% of women agreed that most rapists commit rape through overwhelming sexual desire. That is highlighted by the 41% of men versus 21% of women who agree that men who sexually assaulted other men must be gay.

These revelations show that the public perceives rape and sexual assault as sexually motivated crime, not as a violent crime with a sexual element. The SAVI report also revealed that victims of sexual assault who sought professional assistance were deeply dissatisfied with the services they received. The exceptions were counsellors and therapists with whom there was a high level of satisfaction.

A total of 44% of people were dissatisfied with the Garda which did not adequately explain why certain procedures were conducted and the complainants felt there was a perception that they were to blame for the assaults. Those who sought the help of medical professionals felt they needed more assistance. Many said they did not know where to go and were not given advice on where to go. The SAVI report contained several significant recommendations on which I hope to hear progress has been made.

Both studies showed the under estimation of the extent of the crimes committed. The Amnesty UK report revealed that only 5.6% of rapes were reported. The work of the Rape Crisis Centres has changed significantly in recent years in that a new group of people is presenting to them. Many of these people are victims of rapes that occurred in war situations who have received refuge here. This creates a significant additional difficulty for resources, for example, for those who translate for counsellors, who themselves need to be counselled.

The necessary resources are not being put into public information campaigns, for example, that are very necessary as these reports show. The SAVI report made six or seven significant recommendations. I hope the opportunity provided by the budget will be taken to provide resources to carry out some of those important recommendations which otherwise cannot be put into place.

If the level of shootings or stabbings was as under-reported as rape and there was a similarly low rate of conviction I imagine there would be a loud outcry. We need to arrive at the point where people see sexual assault in the same light as other types of assault. There is a need for a campaign to inform the public and change its attitudes. There is also a need for resources to provide material to the Rape Crisis Centre which it can pass on to the health care professionals and the Garda so that those who experience such assaults are properly facilitated in every way.

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