“Survey shows manifest need to tackle harassment across society”

Latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office today have revealed significant levels of sexual harassment in Ireland.

Responding to the stats, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre say initiatives must be introduced across society which are properly supported by the new agency responsible for Ireland’s national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Commenting today on the figures, DRCC’s CEO Noeline Blackwell said:

“The CSO’s new data release shows there is widespread sexual harassment around Ireland, with one in 5 people affected by this corrosive, damaging behaviour in the past year.

“Rates are especially high among young people aged 18-24 years, of whom half have been sexually harassed.

“We know that such behaviours can escalate into more serious sexual offences; at the least, they help create an environment for serious offending to be minimised and excused.

“Most importantly, this behaviour can negatively impact and limit the freedom of victims of sexual harassment to live their lives without intimidation and distress.

“Given the level of abuse among young people, it is very timely that we have seen the updating of SPHE curricula in our secondary schools, with Senior Cycle now under review.

“It is also crucial the new agency planned to assume responsibility for coordinating our national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will be able to tackle this issue in a holistic way,” she said.

Contacts with the National Helpline also reflect the national trend caught by the CSO data, with most from young people aged under 25, although contacts come from people of all ages.

“DRCC runs the freephone National Rape Crisis Helpline and while the number of calls to the line referring only to harassment is still low, it is often disclosed in the context of other forms of sexual violence,” added Ms Blackwell.

Abuse types ranged from verbal or written harassment to abusive sexual imagery to unwanted physical contact.

The survey showed women were over twice (28%) as likely to experience sexual harassment than men (13%), and were almost four times more likely to have experienced inappropriate physical contact (15%) than men (4%).

In terms of those carrying out the abuse, almost nine in 10 (87%) who experienced sexual harassment reported that the perpetrator was male.

The CSO data shows disclosure rates where highest among young people, two-thirds of whom told someone about the harassment, most often a friend.

Over half of people overall had disclosed their experiences to another party, but the CSO noted that 500 people who took part had never talked about it to anyone before taking the survey.

It is really important that when someone shares something that has happened to them, they are received with kindness and that they hear support is available.

Anyone affected by sexual harassment or sexual violence of any form can contact the freephone 24-hour National Helpline for free, confidential support at 1800 778888.

DRCC say they ‘again acknowledged the immense work of the Central Statistics Office in producing this report.’

Comprehensive information on options is also available online at drcc.ie/fyw