Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
321 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the Garda Síochána annual report for 2003, which indicates that instances of rape and sexual assault increased by 164% in Donegal from 2002 in view of the fact that rapes and sexual assaults are vastly underreported; if his attention has been drawn to this enormous increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33201/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 58 rape offences — rape of a female and rape section 4 — were reported in the Donegal division in 2003 and subsequently published in the 2003 Garda Síochána annual report. The total was counted incorrectly as a case involving 34 offences with the same injured party and offender was counted as 34 offences when it should have been counted as one offence in accordance with the Garda crime counting rules. Details of the rules are contained in the annual report. The revised total for the Donegal division is therefore 25 offences, representing an increase of 14% over the 22 recorded in 2002.
Changes in the number of sexual offences recorded from year to year are often the result of the reporting of offences committed years or decades previously. The 34 offences referred to above, for example, were reported in 2003 but occurred many years before. Any increase in crime is unwelcome. While some regions show an increase for the period in question, it is important to note that, overall, the numbers of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault reported to the Garda in 2003, the last full year for which figures are available, represent a significant reduction when compared to the recorded incidents of these crimes in 2002. For example, there was a reduction of 25.5% in reported incidents of rape between 2002 and 2003. In 2002, the number of reported incidents of sexual assault was 1,626, but this had fallen to 1,449 by 2003.
On behalf of the national steering committee on violence against women, my Department has conducted a number of awareness-raising campaigns on various aspects of violence against women in recent years. Recent awareness campaigns have included a poster campaign on domestic violence in 2003 and a campaign in 2002 aimed at highlighting the dangers of drug-assisted rape. The 2002 campaign involved the development of a series of posters which were displayed in pubs, clubs and third level colleges around the country. Follow-up campaigns were undertaken in third level colleges in 2003 and 2004. In addition, my Department has provided funding to a number of rape crisis centres to deliver an awareness programme in schools in their locality.
It may also interest the Deputy to know that my Department has provided joint funding for comprehensive research into attrition rates in rape cases. The research is on the understanding of attrition, early withdrawal, the trial process and identifying possible changes to support complainants in rape cases and is being carried out by the department of law at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the rape Crisis Network. The research should provide a greater understanding of why some victims choose not to report cases to the Garda, what can be done about under -reporting and why, of the cases reported, a relatively small percentage result in court hearings.
I understand from the Garda authorities that all gardaí receive training in the investigation of cases of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. The training is provided by experienced Garda personnel assisted by other professionals such as psychologists, doctors and social workers as well as experts from various non-governmental organisations.
