‘We need to acknowledge the prevalence of sexual assault ’

• Published date: 16 April 2024
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

“The data from the CSO survey highlighted that sexual violence is more common than many would have thought,” says Prof Maeve Eogan, the national clinical lead for Sexual Assault Treatment Unit services in Ireland, and an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin

She is adamant that, as a society, we need to acknowledge this prevalence. “We need to make every attempt not just to respond when people ask for help, but also to discuss it in schools, sports clubs and workplaces so people feel more confident to disclose their experience and access the care and support they need.”

Prof Eogan adds that healthcare providers need to remember that, no matter what reason people are there, many have sexual violence in their past or even their present and that this may influence how they negotiate their healthcare journey or respond to particular interventions or examinations. “The impact of sexual violence continues for many years afterwards,” she says.

Aideen Walsh, co-ordinator of the paediatric forensic medical unit at Children’s Health Ireland at Tallaght University Hospital, says that there has been an increase in the number of young people reporting sexual harm by another young person. “It can start as investigative play and develop into sexual harm. The question is, how is this managed if the perpetrator is under the age of criminal responsibility? We need to be able to respond to a child’s disclosure or concern in an appropriate way,” she says.

Walsh says sexual violence includes more than rape or contact sexual assault. “It can also be inappropriate touching and misunderstanding of consent.”

Eogan adds: “It can be people not knowing they can say no. You can consent to kiss someone but not want to have penetrative sex. Consent has to be ongoing, mutual and freely given and just because someone consented last week doesn’t mean that they consent now.”

GPs and medical staff in hospital emergency departments are obliged to report incidents of sexual violence in children to Tusla, the child and family agency, whose job it is to carry out safety assessments and decide whether the child needs to attend the paediatric forensic medical unit. “It’s also important that we call out inappropriate behaviour when we see it,” says Eogan. “This is the crux of much of the ‘bystander’ interventions that are now in a range of training programmes.”

Acute care

Dr Daniel Kane, forensic medical examiner at the sexual assault treatment unit in the Rotunda, says...