MEN who get injured during sex attacks can receive medical treatment in the new emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) while their female sex assault victims have to travel to Cork for treatment.
Opened last May, the new emergency department has a 24hour facility specially designed to cater for male prisoners including those injured while carrying out sexual assaults.
However, Limerick Fianna Fail TD, Niall Collins said he was astounded to hear that female sex assault victims in Limerick have to travel to Cork to be examined if they are brought to hospital outside of Monday to Friday working hours.
“A meeting of the Limerick joint policing authority was told last week that women who are sexually attacked have to be taken to Cork for forensic medical examination. But the man who attacks that woman can be treated 24/7 at a special area for such people at the new hospital wing.
“This is an outrage. I am calling on Health Minister Simon Harris to sort this out. He officially opened the new emergency department and told us all what a great facility it is. And it is.
“But there is as huge hole in the middle of the care plan at UHL when it comes to women who are sexually assaulted.
“Most sex attacks happen at weekends and at night. But if a woman makes a complaint at a Garda station, she has to be taken to Cork for a forensic examination.
“Yet a man who may have been injured carrying out the attack, can be taken from a Garda station or Limerick Prison to have his wounds looked after.”
Limerick Garda Chief Superintendent David Sheahan confirmed that women who have been sexually assaulted have to travel to Cork if it happens outside of weekday hours.
