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The number of young people carrying out sex attacks is on the rise in Ireland, legal experts have said.<\/p>\nThe number of young people carrying out sex attacks is on the rise in Ireland, legal experts have said.<\/p>\n
Recent studies show a growing trend of younger people committing sexual offences, which Rape Crisis Network Ireland legal director Caroline Counihan described as \u201cconcerning\u201d.<\/p>\n
Last year the number of defilement offences increased by 20%.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat jumped out at me as a big figure, it is quite a big rise in one year,\u201d Ms Counihan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it means there are more people reporting the crime and it makes me think if there is more sexual activity being conducted against children which is worrying.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could show there is more sexual violence happening among younger people. That\u2019s a concern.\u201d<\/p>\n
The whole area around sexual violence is so incredibly underfunded given the scale of the issue. It will be a long time before it will be enough<\/p>\n
She said that rape crisis centers around the country have reported an increase in the number of cases of sexual violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had one center which had very few reporting for a number of years and in the last six months the number has doubled,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s of course heightened awareness with the Me Too movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe gardai are saying they have also seen a dramatic spike in sexual assault reports in DPSU (Divisional Protective Services Units) areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
The specialized units were set up by gardai to investigate sexual abuse and domestic violence cases.<\/p>\n
The director of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland said it found that almost 40% of children who were victims of sexual violence were abused by another child.<\/p>\n
Dr Cliona Saidlear said that young girls need to be made aware that young boys who sit with them in the classroom can also be a danger.<\/p>\n
The Department of Education is currently carrying out a review of sex education and how consent is taught to school children.<\/p>\n
Dr Saidlear added: \u201cThey are doing a whole system review \u2013 they are not just looking at the curriculum content but they are also looking at what happens in the corridor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about how the whole school responds and creates a safe place.<\/p>\n
\u201cSex education around sexual violence is really about tools to help people around inappropriate behavior and recognizing behavior in themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has shifted that focus from stranger danger and that dirty-old-man kind of image we have.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really need to say that young boys can also be a danger to young girls, it isn\u2019t all just fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sexual violence that is being perpetrated mostly by young boys on young girls, was being named all the time in the public discourse as Romeo and Juliet, we were telling girls who were being raped that it was romance gone wrong, that it was disapproved of by adults.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week Minister for Health Simon Harris confirmed that Sex Assault Treatment Units (SATU) would receive an additional 500,000 euro in funding.<\/p>\n
Following a policy review of the SATU services, the number of forensic nurse examiners will also rise from six to 15.<\/p>\n
Dr Saidlear said, however, that sexual violence is \u201cincredibly underfunded\u201d in Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the critical issues is around staff training and retention,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole area around sexual violence is so incredibly underfunded given the scale of the issue. It will be a long time before it will be enough.\u201d<\/p>\n