SUPPORT agencies struggling to cope with increasing numbers of victims of sexual abuse have appealed to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to delay the publication of the Dublin Archdiocese report into child sex abuse.The request comes as support groups battle to deal with unprecedented numbers of victims following the publication of the Ryan report.
Maeve Lewis, head of One in Four, said she and the head of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, have written to the minister to ask for the report to be delayed until September or October.
This would allow for the fallout from the Ryan report to be dealt with before a new wave of victims come forward.
The Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation, which will reveal more shocking stories of abuse at the hands of the clergy, is due to be published in the coming weeks.
Ms Lewis says not delaying the report could have catastrophic implications for victims who would end up on a waiting list if they seek help.
"For someone who has the courage to come forward and say they have been sexually abused to find themselves on a waiting list for support services is completely unacceptable," she said.
Ms Lewis said both One in Four and the DRCC were "really struggling" to respond to the huge rise in new clients since the publication of the Ryan report.
"We are very worried that, if the Dublin report comes out it will provoke another surge of people coming forward," she said.
"When sexual abuse gets a lot of media attention, as the Ryan report did, it is not only those directly affected who look for help, but other survivors of abuse in many other contexts will also come forward."
According to Ms Lewis, One in Four has had almost 700 new clients in the past six weeks.
She said 470 people had entered the agency’s advocacy programme and another 200 had gone into psychotherapy.
However, with a 5% decrease in funding this year, staff were overstretched.
Ms Lewis has written to Minister for Children Barry Andrews seeking emergency funding.
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