asked the Minister for Justice the number of reported cases of rape or attempted rape since 5th July, 1977.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rape Cases.
14.
The Garda Siochana say that in the period 5th July to 30th September, 1977, 23 cases of rape and 18 indecent assults on females were reported to them. There is no recorded report of an attempted rape during the period though it is, of course, possible that some of the offences listed as indecent assaults were, in reality, attempts at rape but the evidence is insufficient to justify their being recorded as such.
Has the Minister any suggestions on possible law reform in relation to rape and indecent assault, bearing in mind the stress and strain that these cases cause to the victims? This is a growing problem——
I fully understand the gravity of the situation, but if the Deputy wants to widen the question to include possible law reform I suggest he should put down a separate question.
I will do that.
Does the Minister get the impression that there has been a real increase in these crimes or that they are being reported more frequently—are the figures he has given constant or have they been rising during the past five or six years?
In 1976 there were 20 cases of rape reported, 10 of which were detected. We had 43 cases of indecent assault in the same period, 22 of them detected. In the first six months of 1977, the latest period for which we have figures, we had 22 cases of rape reported of which 16 were detected, and 41 cases of indecent assault reported, of which 29 were detected. From these figures the Deputy will see that there has been a considerable increase in these crimes in 1977 so far.