An urgent call has been made to Túsla to provide funding for services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse in Clare.
An urgent call has been made to Túsla to provide funding for services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse in Clare.
Rape Crisis Midwest provides services two days a week at its office in Ennis, but plans to extend opening hours and to open an outreach centre in Kilrush have stalled, due to funding issues.
Last year Rape Crisis Midwest received around 340,000 euro from Tusla, but while it's office in Limerick benefits from it, there is no direct funding for Ennis.
The Ennis office, which currently offers services two days of the week, has had to shut down on two occasions in the past, because of a shortfall in funding, with the most recent closure last Autumn, for around a month.
There are ten people currently using the service in the county town, and while there had been hopes of extending the opening hours, and also offering outreach services in Kilrush, plans have hit a stumbling block due to funding issues.
Senator Martin Conway, who is Fine Gael's Seanad's Justice Spokesman, has worked with the Rape Crisis Network over the past number of years, on a range of issues.
He's pointed to the 37 million euro in increased funding granted in the last budget to Túsla, as a light at the end of the tunnel, saying he hopes it will ensure additional support for services in clare.
2 in 5 women and 1 in 5 men will at some point in their lives experience some form of sexual violence or abuse – almost a third of the population.
Anyone who's been affected by sexual violence can contact Rape Crisis Midwest on 061 311 511 or 1800 311 511.
You can also email info@rapecrisis.ie
