THE DUBLIN RAPE Crisis Centre has announced that Noeline Blackwell will step down as its CEO later this year.

Blackwell has served as CEO for the organisation since March 2016.

In a statement today, the DRCC said Blackwell intends to retire from the role in the Autumn.

Blackwell said her time as CEO of the organisation allowed her “to be part of a movement to effect substantial positive change for those who experience sexual violence, or who are at risk of it”.

She added: “I have also been able to engage with those directly affected by sexual violence – it has been a great honour to learn from their experience and to help address the issues they identify.”

Blackwell said it is “the right time for me to step down and to allow others to shape the next stage of the organisation’s development”.

The DRCC hailed Blackwell for “successfully leading the organisation through a period of intense societal change”.

The organisation added that Blackwell has “raised public awareness about the rights of victims and survivors” and has brought “legislative attention on mitigating the impact of the trauma of sexual violence and rape”.

Speaking on behalf of the DRCC board, chairperson Ann Marie Gill said a “comprehensive search” will now be launched for a successor to Blackwell.

Gill also thanked Blackwell for her “expert and professional leadership and advocacy for the rights of victims and survivors of sexual violence”.

“Noeline has brought issues facing survivors of sexual violence to public attention and contributed significantly to law and policy reform in this area,” said Gill.

She added: “In particular, she has championed the need to bring about a better popular understanding of consent as a way to prevent sexual violence.”