Harris promises sex crime zero tolerance
Garda chief sends out strong message from force
GARDA Commissioner Drew Harris has said gardaí have a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to protecting women and children and all victims of sexual violence.
Speaking at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s annual report launch yesterday, the Garda chief stated: ‘Last Friday I was at the Woman’s Aid conference in respect of domestic abuse and femicide and the murder of children, and then I’m here. This is building up a pattern.
‘I hope people can see that I have a deep and abiding professional and personal commitment to the prevention of such serious crimes.’ He added that the gardaí are ‘doing all we can’ to protect citizens from these crimes.
His comments come after the DRCC received almost 13,000 contacts to its national 24-hour helpline last year, and provided therapy for 550 face-to-face clients. The 12,855 contacts to its helpline represented an increase of 500 from the previous year, according to the organisation’s 2017 report
Commissioner Harris added: ‘That requires commitment from me and requires commitment from the organisations. One way I can demonstrate this is taking up invitations like this today to demonstrate my personal commitment, and as Commissioner, that means a little bit more than just my own commitment – that means, then, a priority of the organisations.
‘Just to respond to the challenge that was put down to me, yes, I am up for the challenge and that means An Garda Síochána is up for the challenge too.’
The DRCC also reported a rise in the number and proportion of ‘crisis calls’, where a person has been assaulted in the previous six months. These callers are prioritised for appointments and will see a counsellor within a week to ten days. These ‘crisis appointments’ accounted for 39% of sessions in 2016, and this rose to 48% last year.
Another worrying trend emerging from the annual report is the number of people being raped at house parties and after using dating websites such as Tinder.
DRCC CEO Noeline Blackwell said yesterday that, anecdotally, there was a trend emerging.
‘While we support and provide services to people of all genders, it is noteworthy that sexual violence is predominantly perpetrated against women and girls,’ she said.
‘This means that there needs to be a particular emphasis on eliminating or at least reducing the level of sexual violence against them.’
DRCC staff accompanied 251 people to examinations at the sexual assault treatment unit in Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital, and provided support on 53 days to victims making a criminal complaint either at a Garda station or in court.
Ms Blackwell complimented the work being done by gardaí who are fully trained in the investigation of sexual offences, but highlighted the continued lack of specialist units or investigators to deal with ‘these sensitive investigations’. Last week, at the Women’s Aid conference on femicide, Commissioner Harris said: ‘I am here to make a difference’, particularly for ‘the women and children in this society’.
He said: ‘I have always had a personal commitment to preventing violence towards women and violence towards the vulnerable.’
The Women’s Aid’s Femicide Watch report highlighted the fact that seven women had died violently this year. It also stated that 16 children were killed alongside their mothers since 1996, and that as many as 137 of the 225 women killed since then had been struck down in their own homes. Of the 20 cases where a woman was killed by a relative, 16 were by their sons.
Anyone who has been affected by rape or sexual assault can call the DRCC 24-hour national helpline on Freephone 1800 77 8888.
‘I am here to make a difference’