Counselling agency backlog leads to ‘grave concerns’ abusers will reoffend
SEX offenders will remain at risk to the community for months due to a lack of funds for a counselling agency, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Maeve Lewis, executive director of One In Four, which helps convicted and non-convicted sex offenders – as well as victims of childhood sexual abuse – has written to Simon Harris requesting an urgent meeting about her ‘grave concerns’ sex offenders might reoffend before they are seen.
Her agency can no longer deal with the demand for services, which has soared beyond its budget capabilities.
Fifteen people who have identified themselves as sexual abusers are on the waiting list – but won’t receive an appointment for at least two months.
‘There are men out there who pose a significant risk to children, who don’t have the intervention that would make them consider their behaviour,’ said Ms Lewis.
She said the ‘best case scenario’ is that these clients might be seen some time after Christmas, saying she has ‘grave concerns’ they might re-offend in the meantime.
‘Can it be right that men who wish to stop abusing children cannot get a place on an intervention programme due to lack of resources? It’s very frustrating and also very worrying,’ she said.
Ms Lewis added that the closure of a waiting list for victims of sexual abuse has become a ‘life and death situation’.
In the 10-day period surrounding Pope Francis’s visit, 147 people reached out to the service seeking help – as many as would typically make first-time contact over the course of an entire year. She said the Pennsylvania report on widespread sexual abuse in the US and the extensive media coverage of the Pope’s visit prompted people to come forward.
However, none of these people could be seen as the waiting list for counselling – which had stood at seven months – has been closed.
‘Our list has been closed since the beginning of July and it’s a huge concern to us because, of the 150 new clients we met in 2017, 35 had attempted suicide before meeting us. So, we are conscious that some very vulnerable people have reached out for a service and we just can’t meet them. We are concerned about what could happen to them. The demand for services just outstrips supply.’
Ms Lewis said the provision of even one extra therapist, costing around €65,000 per annum, would make a huge difference. She is seeking ‘emergency funding’ for one year from the Health Minister.
The agency – which currently has around 120 people in counselling – needs in excess of €1m a year to run its services, with 70% coming from the HSE, the Department of Health and Tusla. The remainder comes from donations.
A department spokesperson said a funding application has been sent to the HSE for consideration.
‘These men pose a risk to children’