Adolescents and teenagers under the age of 18 account for a fifth of females attendees at the country’s sexual assault treatment units over the last seven years, according to a study.
Among those aged 14 or 15, three out of 10 were attacked by strangers or someone they just met, but almost a quarter were assaulted by a “friend” and a further quarter were attacked by an acquaintance.
In one of the largest pieces of research of its kind in Ireland, the report found that almost one in six victims believe they were drugged before the assault.
Of the almost 6,000 females attending sexual assault treatment units between 2017 and 2023, nearly four out of 10 said their attacker was either a stranger or someone they recently met (last 24 hours).
The study found that the 18-24 age category was most represented in attendees (38%) followed by 25-to 34-year-olds (22%).
Those aged under 18 accounted for 20.5% of victims, including:
- 628 aged 16-17 (11%);
- 479 aged 14-15 (8%);
- 108 (2%) aged under 14.
The study was carried out by a team of medical experts from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in the Royal College of Surgeons, as well as from the sexual assault treatment units in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, and Galway.
It said sexual assault is “pervasive” in modern society and that Irish figures showed that half of women will experience some form of sexual violence in their lives.
Of the 5,942 females who attended the six units over the seven years studied, 38% were full-time students and 22% were unemployed.
Assailants were male in 92% of cases and there were multiple attackers in 7% of incidents (435 assaults).
Some 16% of victims believed they were drugged before the attack, including 14% of those aged 16-17 and 20% in the 18-44 age range.
The study found 38.5% of females were attacked by strangers or someone they just met (acquaintance in last 24 hours), including 47% of 18- to 24-year-olds, 40% of 16- to 17-year-olds, and 40% of 25- to 34-year-olds.
A “friend” was the perpetrator in 23% of cases among 14- to 15-year-olds, 17% of 16- to 17-year-olds, and 12% of under-14s.
An acquaintance of longer than a day was responsible for 26% of attacks among 14- to 15-year-olds, 22% in 16- to 17-year-olds, and 21% of 18- to 24-year-olds.
A family member was responsible for 42% of attacks among under-14s.
Over seven out of 10 said they drank in the 24 hours before the attack. Almost 60% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they had more than six standards drinks (three pints or six small glasses of wine).
The figures for the 16-17 age group was 37%. It was 29% among those 14-15 and 13% of under-14s.
