HELPLINES are reporting a surge in victims of abuse from religious-run day schools contacting them in the wake of the damning Ryan report as well appeals for help in progressing prosecutions against abusers.One helpline overall has received nearly 1,000 calls since the launch of the abuse report last week.
Connect, the national adult counselling service, said an increasing number of callers were contacting it who had been abused in day schools, including secondary institutions run by the Christian Brothers.
Victims feel their experiences in day schools were underrepresented in the Ryan report.
Connect’s director, Anne Richardson, explained: "We’ve also had some callers who have been to day schools wondering what is the process for them to report. They are wondering where they can go with their complaints."
The counselling service has received 900 calls since the Ryan report was published. Some 478 of those were received in a night.
"Some want to pursue their complaints and never went to the redress board. They are pursuing compensation," added Ms Richardson.
Support group One in Four said it had received 26 calls from victims alleging incidents of abuse in religious-run day schools. Director Maeve Lewis explained: "They’re very angry that their story is not fully emerging."
The report focused on residential industrial and reformatory schools, with just one of its 64 chapters dedicated to day schools.
One in Four has also been helping callers in recent days contact gardaí with abuse complaints.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said yesterday it was overwhelmed with the large numbers of calls its helpline was receiving.
Its head, Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, said it had to bring in extra people to man its 24-hour helpline over the weekend.
Faoiseamh, set up by the religious orders to arrange counselling for victims of clerical abuse, said yesterday it was extending its helpline opening hours.
The contact number is 1800 331234 and its services will remain open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 8pm.
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