THE DUBLIN RAPE Crisis Centre are planning to launch a free app in the coming days.
The app will have a list of numbers for all the centre’s locations and will offer free support and advice.
CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop told TheJournal.ie that:
Our services are not just for those who’ve been a victim of sexual abuse, we also offer guidance and support for people whose friends have confided in them about being abused. We will give those people the support and advice they need to help their friends or family.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s episode of Fair City, in which a character is attacked, Ms O’Malley-Dunlop said, “It’s important people know that there’s support out there for them and that there’s always somebody on the other end of the phone.”
The CEO urged people to keep trying to call even if they don’t get through at first.
She also expressed her concern that the number of Dublin’s Rape Crisis Centre won’t be shown on screen after the episode. Instead people will be directed to the RTÉ website, where they can find the Rape Crisis number along with the numbers of the Samaritans and Women’s Aid National.
Rape Crisis Centre Director, Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop said:
We would prefer if the number would go out on screen after the show. When it’s on the screen we get calls in immediately and we put extra staff on but the extra calls won’t come in when people are directed to a website instead.
RTÉ explained that the reason they don’t put the number on screen is because they ‘need to give various contact details for a number of organisations, not just one. And so the best way to do this is for the continuity announcer to advise anybody affected to go to our website for a list of numbers.’
The episode will see lead character, Yvonne Doyle, being attacked by a man she met online and has gone on two dates with.
The soap shows Yvonne trying to push him off, after she realises she’s had too much to drink.
She tells him she ‘doesn’t want to’ before he rapes her.
The RTÉ press office told TheJournal.ie that the reason they went with this storyline is because it’s a “topical issue that is actually happening to people.” They also pointed out that the character knew her attacker as opposed to it being a stranger.
Research carried out by The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre backs this up:
Seventy four per cent of those who experienced rape or sexual assault knew the person who assaulted them. The truth is that most rape and sexual assault takes place within a social or family situation.
To contact the Rape Crisis Centre call: 1800 77 88 88 or click here.
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