Far more widespread availability of treatment for sex offenders is necessary if sexual violence against children is to be properly addressed, the director of the One in Four organisation has said.
Colm O'Gorman, at the publication of the charity's annual report yesterday, said the treatment of sex offenders in prison should be mandatory. Currently there are eight treatment places for such offenders. There are 246 prisoners serving sentences for sex offences and treatment is voluntary.
Mr O'Gorman said just imprisoning sex offenders was "achieving very, very little".
"At least treatment minimises the risk [perpetrators will pose on release]. It would also assess and identify levels of risk. If Ireland is to properly address the prevalence of sexual violence . . . we must be prepared to step beyond a polarised approach to the issue and recognise the need to deal with the human dynamic at the core of such violence."
According to its third annual report, the organisation provided services to 1,492 individuals last year, with increased demand on all its programmes. Some 305 people were seen on its psychotherapy programme - an increase of 30 per cent on 2004.
There were 762 individuals accessing the advocacy programme - a service providing practical support and advice on accessing services.
Mr O'Gorman noted the gender breakdown of those accessing its services showed an unusual equality between men and women. While almost twice as many women as men contacted its psychotherapy service last year, the breakdown of those actually engaged in psychotherapy was 51 per cent women and 49 per cent men.
He said there was some indication that men were accessing psychotherapy having first made contact with the advocacy programme. Some 57 per cent of those who accessed that service were men and 43 per cent women.
He said the advocacy programme was more "practical" and the higher proportion of men making first contact by this route reflected perhaps a different approach among men. It "gives another way into the service".
Minister for Health Mary Harney, who formally published the report, commended Mr O'Gorman, saying the One in Four organisation had forced society to deal with sexual violence in "in a more open and forthright manner".
She said the statistics on men showed how ground-breaking One in Four was. "We have great difficulty getting men to access mental health services."
The report indicates that of those victims accessing its psychotherapy services last year, 6 per cent had been abused by a woman, 94 per cent by men.
Some 25 per cent were abused by someone from their immediate family, 11 per cent by extended family, 31 per cent by clerics or in an institution, 13 per cent by a stranger, 7 per cent by a neighbour, 6 per cent by a professional and 7 per cent by a babysitter, step-relation, family friend, employer or clerical lay-person.
