Rape Crisis Centre guidelines series aims to help protect young from sexual assault

The Dublin Rape Crisis Ventre has published a series of guidelines for young people designed to help protect them from becoming the victims of sexual assault.

The centre said it had seen an increase over the past few years in the number of reported rapes or sex attacks on men and women under the age of 20 who are celebrating exam results, attending outdoor festivals or holidaying abroad.

Staff at the centre accompanied 31 people to the sexual assault victims' unit in the Rotunda Hospital last month, down from 38 in July 2007. Despite the slight drop, the centre said young people still need to exercise extreme vigilance over the summer.

The centre's chief executive, Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop, said many young people were left "absolutely devastated" by sex attacks. She also warned that having sex with someone who is incapacitated is rape.

"At this time of year when people are out celebrating, if somebody is not capable of giving their consent for whatever reason, be they asleep or very drunk or whatever, it's a violation of that person's rights and it also constitutes rape," Ms O'Malley-Dunlop said.

She urged victims to contact police to make sure that the perpetrators were "appropriately punished". The guidelines are split into two sections. The first details a range of measures to protect oneself from sexual assault, while the second outlines what to do in the event of an attack.

Killian Doyle, Irish Times

More story at-http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0813/1218477454834.html

© 2008 The Irish Times

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