Resources for Supporters
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If you are in immediate danger, please contact the Gardaí on 999.
If someone asks you for help immediately after a sexual assault, your first step must be to help them to get to a safe place. Many people are unsure or confused about what happened – assure them of your support, that you believe them and that you don’t judge them.
If they need medical attention, call 999 or 112. You can also call the National 24-Hour Helpline on 1800 77 8888 or a local Rape Crisis service.
How you can help
The person you are supporting may want you to accompany them to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, or a garda station. (A Rape Crisis support worker can also attend at these services).
The person who are supporting may want reassurance that they are doing the right thing, or just to have a familiar person by their side. They may be quiet, or they may want to talk. Let them lead and just listen if they do want to talk. Don’t ask lots of questions. It is not your responsibility to take a statement or investigate, you are there to support and listen.
What sort of help is available for supporters?
Supporters are incredibly important to survivors, and being a supporter can be impactful and challenging. You may find that you need support during or after the process of supporting a survivor of sexual violence.
We welcome you to contact a Rape Crisis Centre (RCC) to ask for counselling and advice. Find your nearest RCC here.
Is help available in languages other than English?
If English is not your first language, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre provides a Helpline Interpreting Service, which provides live interpreting over the phone in more than 240 languages.
Operating hours are:
Monday – Friday 8am to 6:30pm
Monday – Sunday from midnight (12am) to 8am
Click here for details of the Interpreting Service
For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, there is a text service available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6:30pm, at 086-8238443.
And lastly, if a webchat service is a better option for you, there is also a webchat service available.
Operating hours are:
Monday – Friday 10am to 5pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
It is also available from midnight to 3:00 on Tuesdays & Wednesdays.
What about people who are deaf or hearing impaired?
You can ask for an interpretation service — the guards and hospitals have contracts with interpreters for provision of services.
Other services available include Bridge Interpreting and Sign Language Interpreting Services which provides emergency out of hours access to interpreters at 087 672 5179.
This service offers access to interpreters for Deaf people in medical or legal crises.
Chime, the National Charity for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people also offers a range of services from emotional support to practical advice and services.
What if the abuse happened in the past?
A survivor may tell you about an assault that happened in the past but that they have never told anyone about before.
They may be exploring their trauma, breaking free of shame or considering reporting to the gardai. You are their safe person. As their supporter, it’s important to remember that there’s no single way to respond after a sexual assault. Each person is different and their attitude to what happened may change over time.
Your role is to listen and be there for them as they work through this stage.
Rape Crisis Centres (RCCs) in Ireland
There are 17 Rape Crisis Centres around Ireland.
A Rape Crisis Centre (RCC) is a safe space for survivors of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and childhood sexual abuse to work through trauma with specially trained counsellors and psychotherapists.
Find more information