Rape Crisis support for Limerick sexual assault treatment unit

RAPE Crisis Midwest has come out in support of calls for the provision of a full-time sexual assault treatment unit at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

When Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins raised the matter in the Dáil, he was informed by the HSE that they have no plans to establish such a unit at the Dooradoyle hospital campus.

However, Rape Crisis MidWest executive director Miriam Duffy said that given UHL’s status as a centre of excellence and teaching hospital, the provision of such a unit would provide a doorstep service to victims of sexual crimes and allow a better follow through both medically and in the pursuit of criminal offences.

She pointed out that there are a number of steps in place to help victims of sex crimes.

“There is an out-of-hours service in place at the moment. What this means is that if a victim of a sexual attack goes to the Gardaí to report a crime, they can have a forensic medical examination carried out between 6.30pm and 5.30am Monday to Friday and all through the weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

“This happens out of normal working hours as there is no dedicated space provided so examinations must take place in certain rooms after hours,” Ms Duffy explained.

“I would endorse Deputy Collins’ call for a sexual assault treatment unit as a designated space would help greatly”.

Ms Duffy said that a chain of events are set in motion once Gardaí are notified of a sexual assault.

“When a report is made to the Gardaí, ShonnonDoc are notified and a specially assigned doctor who specialises in forensic medical examinations is notified and an appointment is set up within a few hours.

“An email is sent to the HSE to notify them that such an examination is taking place and a room at the hospital is forensically cleaned and cordoned off before the arrival of all the parties.

“We have specially trained volunteers on call 24 hours of the day to offer support and they are notified by the GP and the examination takes place.”

“So yes, this system would still be in place even after the establishment of a sexual assault treatment unit  in Limerick as the clinical nurse is unlikely to be available 24/7, but that does not get away from the fact that a specially designated unit should be set up in Limerick,” Ms Duffy said.