The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has said that a 45.5 per cent increase in Section 4 rape, shown in the latest crime figures, is extremely worrying and is probably not a true reflection of the level of the crime.
The latest quarterly provisional crime figures show that the number of Section 4 rapes (rape with an implement and oral rape) rose from 55 to 80 for the period November 2004/October 2005, compared with November 2003/October 2004.
Rapes of females declined by 10.8 per cent from 378 to 337 over the same period. Aggravated sexual assaults also fell from 16 to seven, a 56.3 per cent reduction, and cases of unlawful carnal knowledge fell by 15 per cent, from 107 to 91.
Irene Bergin, chief executive officer of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said they were aware from their own statistics that fewer than one-third of their clients were prepared to report to the gardaí and their colleagues around the country reported similar statistics.