Advertisement

Readers like you keep news free for everyone.

More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.

Support us today
Not now
Tuesday 5 December 2023 Dublin: 4°C
Shutterstock
Abuse

More male abuse survivors in rural Ireland are seeking help

Some counties – including Cavan, Westmeath and Offaly – have seen a ratio of 2:1 in male to female callers to a helpline.

THE NUMBER OF men in rural Ireland seeking help to deal with abuse has increased, according to one counselling service.

Connect counselling says that some counties – including Cavan, Westmeath, Offaly, Sligo and Waterford – have seen a ratio of 2:1 in male to female callers to its helpline.

The service said that the male callers from these counties often reported being isolated and unable or unwilling to access face-to-face services.

Nationally, two-thirds of the total number of phone calls were from women.

Connect, which runs an out-of-hours telephone service for abuse survivors, answered 2,600 calls in the first six months of the year, with almost half reporting abuse within the family home.

One quarter said they had experienced abuse in their community while 15% reported abuse in institutions.

Connect service manager Theresa Merrigan said the figures go against the perception that abuse in Ireland has been largely an institutional problem, and instead highlight a higher prevalence in the family setting, particularly relating to abuse which has occurred more recently.

Opinion: I became the first male survivor of Irish clerical sexual abuse to meet Pope Francis > 

Read: Two rape crisis centres are to close temporarily as cuts take hold > 

Your Voice
Readers Comments
30
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.