Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:46. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the funding of a second sexual abuse and violence in Ireland report. [32975/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 12 July 2017
Ceisteanna (46)
Freagraí scríofa
A second Sexual Assault and Violence in Ireland study (SAVI 2) would show the prevalence of and attitudes to sexual violence and elucidate how the experience has changed since SAVI 1. The overall cost of a report is likely to be in the order of €1 million over three years. A formal proposal submitted by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre recognised that, given the significant budget, funding would be divided between four Departments - the Departments of Justice and Equality, Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health. My predecessor wrote to the relevant Ministers on this matter and expressed her support for the project. The responses received make the viability of funding the project, as proposed, unlikely.
However, my Department continues to investigate the financial feasibility, resource implications and approaches to identifying a ring-fenced funding stream for undertaking a SAVI 2 study and to explore obligations with regard to requisite public procurement arrangements. While I strongly recognise the value of further research in this area, I am sure the Deputy will accept that the right balance must be struck between the funding of front-line services and funding research. I will, however, continue to pursue this matter.
In the meantime, there are other sources of statistics that can be accessed. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) 2014 pan-European survey report on violence against women provides details of the prevalence of sexual violence by a partner or non-partner experienced by those women surveyed who are resident in Ireland. This data source has the advantage of providing the possibility of data comparisons with each of the other 27 member states of the EU. Discussions have begun at a Eurostat level to explore the possibility of some form of replication of the FRA survey. There is also the June 2016 pan-European Eurobarometer survey on perceptions, attitudes and awareness of gender-based violence. Figures on sexual violence in Ireland are also available from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, the Central Statistics Office / An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and Sexual Assault Treatment Units.
In addition, the Central Statistics Office are to explore the feasibility of including a module on sexual violence in its next roll-out of its crime and victimisation survey. If it becomes an ongoing element of data gathering in CSO’s crime and victimisation survey, the information gleaned from this work will provide indications of trends over time of peoples’ experiences of such violence.