The first time Sophia McColgan felt someone was listening to what she had to say, and believed her account of horrific sexual abuse by her father, was in the Limerick Rape Crisis Centre six years ago.
The Garda investigation had begun at that time, and the family had made statements detailing the abuse. Ms McColgan and her family were "in turmoil". "Nobody here has not heard of the neglect of my family by the North Western Health Board," Ms McColgan told the annual general meeting of the Network of Rape Crisis Centres (NRCC) yesterday.
She said the family had been victims of a system that ignored them and swept their abuse under the carpet. She and her siblings had suffered broken limbs, broken noses, "hair falling out of a 12-year-old's head from just pure fear", and they were told there had "not been enough evidence".
"I could not understand why we were in hospital, abused, why nobody helped us. We had to be adults to get justice," saidMs McColgan, who read from Sophia's Story by Susan McKay, which tells the story of the McColgan family.
At the LRCC Ms McColgan met Ms Dorothy Morrissey, who has worked with abuse survivors for over 20 years. "I had found someone who would actively listen to the needs of this family. It was like the end of a lifetime search for the help we needed," Ms McColgan said.
"From the day we met her Dorothy opened up so many doors for my family and me. She would get on a train and come down if there was a crisis and never expect thanks. Dorothy gave us back trust in the people and in the system. We learned that there are professionals who care and respond strongly to violence."
Ms Morrissey, accepting a presentation from Ms McColgan on behalf of the NRCC, said she had "incredible admiration" for Ms McColgan and her family. "I have learned so much from contact with you and your family. You are so brave to have survived what has happened to you."
Questioned afterwards about whether it was possible to recover from sex abuse, Ms McColgan said she would not consider herself a victim but a survivor. "I am probably a lot more content than a lot of people in their ordinary lives. I have gone through the mill several times to get where I am today," she explained.
The rape crisis centres were grossly underfunded, she said. Increases were needed, particularly in rural area where help was thin on the ground.
Ms Fiona Neary, national co-ordinator of the Network of Rape Crisis Centres, said most of the centres could not employ even two full-time staff. One midlands centre got a grant of £15,000 - £5,000 was spent in rent, £4,000 in training, leaving £6,000.
"What on earth can you do with £6,000 other than sit in despair and wonder what is the priority? Of all the crimes I have been told about in my work the thing that I find the hardest is to tell people that call that there is a waiting list, to hear their silence at the other end," said Ms Neary.