‘It’s never too late’ –  The importance of listening to survivors of sexual violence

Brought to you by Cuan, The National Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency

TW: This article contains references to sexual violence, which some readers may find distressing.

If you are a victim of sexual violence or if you have been affected by anything mentioned in this article, support is always here. Visit Alwayshere.ie, contact An Garda Síochána or call the National Helpline on 1800 778 888

Irish women will always make sure to support one another, whether that’s being a listening ear to a struggling friend or loved one, or standing side by side at a protest against gender-based violence.

In a special edition of HER’s Gen Talk, Lauren Whelan, Diane Flaherty, and Grace Alice O’Shea, three women from three different generations, discussed the importance of supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence.

They may be from three different generations, but the women all agreed that supporting victims/survivors of sexual assault is a priority for all in Ireland. Through their conversation, it is more evident than ever that our society believes that sexual violence is not acceptable, and we will always  support victims and survivors.

Diane Flaherty, who is Gen X, spoke about the importance of letting survivors know that they are not alone.

“There’s no time frame,” she also noted. “It could have happened 40, 50 years ago. It’s never too late to report or get help.”

Grace Alice O’Shea acknowledged that many people worry about not being believed. This idea was echoed by Gen Z’s Lauren Whelan, who said, “The stigma is that you won’t be believed.”

All three emphasised the importance of lending a listening ear and being empathetic if a friend, loved one or someone you know reaches out about having experienced sexual violence.

We may not know where to start, but simply listening is one thing you can do if someone speaks out about sexual violence. Ensuring that they’re not alone during this time is one of the most important things you can do. We may not have all the answers, but we can at least show them that they will be listened to and they will be believed.

The Gen Talk panel stressed that seeking professional help is something everyone deserves. The trio highlighted the help that is out there in Ireland during their conversation.

It’s more important than ever for sexual violence survivors to feel supported. A Central Statistics Office (CSO) survey published in 2022 shed light on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland. 40% of adults reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime. This was higher for women at 52% compared with 28% of men.

It also showed that some survivors of sexual violence never disclose what has happened to them, or they may not talk about it until years later.

Following this, in June of 2022, the Government published ‘Zero Tolerance – The Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (TNS).

The goal of this strategy is to achieve Zero Tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender based violence in our communities.

The Always Here Campaign helps raise awareness about pathways to safety and the support available to victims of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.

The Always Here campaign is led by Cuan. Cuan’s intention is that the victim-survivor experience is at the heart of their campaign.