SAVI report and rape response
Deputy Coppinger criticised the delay in producing a new Sexual Abuse in Ireland report and argued for stronger action on rape and victim blaming. The Minister said the report will be comprehensive, resources will be provided, and a working group is already addressing the wider issue.
One week on from the protests around victim blaming in our courts and from an international spotlight on what is going on in this country with regard to rape, I want to raise two issues. After many years, the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, has at last announced that a new Sexual Abuse in Ireland, SAVI, report is to be produced. The Rape Crisis Centre and, I would say, the entire country is wondering why it will take five years to conduct this research. The purpose of research is to have up-to-date information, not information that is six years old. If the Government provided more funding it would get the report a lot quicker. The sum of €150,000 for the first year is too little. The Government must ensure this research is done quicker.
The second issue is comments in court. The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, made an inappropriate comment on television the other night about a full blooded defence in response to the type of remarks that are rape apology and paedophile apology remarks by barristers, including "only being held down once", "that the perpetrator did not realise the person was not consenting" - a child - and "this man was not violent". How long are these disgusting comments to be allowed? We do not need to wait for a review to tell us that they are wrong.
Comment on this
We have to stop apologising for rapists in our courts.
Comment on this
The Deputy raised two issues. First, I acknowledge her welcome for the SAVI 2 report. I assure the Deputy that this is a major piece of work, which will take a number of years to produce. I will not second-guess the Central Statistics Office, CSO, in the context of the timeframe.
Comment on this
I can assure the Deputy and the House that this will be the most comprehensive piece of work ever undertaken in this area and that sufficient resources will be made available to allow the survey take place. I acknowledge the welcome and support of the advocacy groups for this review. I assure them that I will continue to engage with them.
On the second issue, I again assure Deputy Coppinger of my active engagement on the issue.
A working group has been engaged in active work on this issue in recent months under the chairmanship of Tom O'Malley of the National University of Ireland Galway, a considered expert in this area, covering the issues raised by the Deputy today and previously. I expect to have that report within weeks.