Rehabilitation programmes for sex offenders have been called for by Ms Dorothy Morrissey of Limerick Rape Crisis Centre (LRCC).
The total of 10 places on such programmes in the State - at Arbour Hill prison in Dublin - is grossly inadequate, said Ms Morrissey, who is a member of the National Steering Committee Against Violence Against Women.
She has been arguing for almost two decades for increased recognition of the problems arising from sexual crime, and has personally helped about 1,000 victims.
In 1980, when she began counselling, sexual crime was thought barely to exist, funding was a dream and support sessions with traumatised women often took place in cars and hotel lobbies.
Since then the climate has changed almost beyond recognition. Today victims can turn to around-the-clock phone lines and rape crisis centres throughout the State. Gardai are more supportive.
For the first time in its history of almost 15 years the co-ordinating body, the National Network of Rape Crisis Centres, is due to receive funding.
As a result of publicity generated by sexual abuse cases, awareness of the problem has greatly increased.
Ms Morrissey was the first counsellor to help Sophia McColgan in 1993, and has been closely involved with the family since. She believes that the McColgan family's courageous decision to go public and seek justice for their appalling abuse has had an enormously encouraging effect on others.
"Incredible credit is due to the McColgans. Other victims are very heartened. It makes them feel they, too, can be understood, and can go forward with their cases.
"It is also helping to change legislators. Judges are becoming more aware of the reality around crimes of rape, assault and child abuse," she said.
But although the problem of victims not being believed and remaining unsupported has diminished, the incidence of abuse has not. Ms Morrissey believes that the incidence of rape may even have increased, although it is hard to prove.
Where a few years ago 65 to 70 per cent of clients at the LRCC were reporting past abuse as opposed to recent rapes, today the figures are closer to 50-50.
"I had hoped that this was because more people were willing to report, but we are beginning to realise that's not it," she said.
Ms Morrissey attributes an increase in more brutal assaults to the proliferation of pornography, which she believes should be subject to new legislation against incitement to hatred.
"I am against censorship. Pornography, however, is about degrading women, and hatred and power over them," she said.
Activists are still fighting for many changes in the way rape cases are handled. Without full separate legal representation, court is an impossible ordeal for many victims, according to Ms Morrissey.
Other priorities include: more seminars for judges; the Director of Public Prosecutions to be allowed to say why prosecutions do not proceed in particular cases; for rape cases to be heard quickly; and rehabilitation programmes to be made mandatory for sex offenders.
Another area that is still under-recognised is the incidence of sexual crimes against men, Ms Morrissey said. About 15 per cent of clients at the LRCC are men.