Spike anticipated in sex assaults on young people in Galway

Galway City Tribune – Galway Rape Crisis Centre (GRCC) anticipates a spike in the number of young people, who were raped or sexually assaulted, presenting for counselling and support in the coming months, with the return of third level students to the city.

The city-based charity, which provides services for victims of sexual trauma and abuse, is currently dealing with between 45 and 50 victims of sexual abuse in the typical third-level education age-bracket of 17-24.

Often there is a lag of some weeks from when the incident occurs to when it is reported to authorities.

“Very often, when the students come back, our numbers go up exponentially,” explained Cathy Connolly, executive director of Galway Rape Crisis Centre.

“First of all, you have a huge influx of people into the city, thousands and thousands of young people, going to NUIG, GMIT and GTI. We wouldn’t have seen a whole lot (of presentations) very recently but come October and November it will start. Historically, October, November and December are busy and the numbers were huge last year in those months.”
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