Reporting Sexual Violence and the Criminal Trial Process

If you are a victim of, or witness to a sexual crime or child abuse we would urge you to report this to An Garda Síochána. You can do this by the following methods:

  • Call 112/999 For An Garda Síochána in the case of an emergency. Examples of emergencies are a danger to life; risk of serious injury; crime in progress or about to happen; offender still at scene or has just left.
  • Child Sexual Abuse Freephone Complaints of child abuse can be made over the phone and in a confidential manner to An Garda Síochána 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 1800 555 222.
  • Call your local Garda Station or report in person You can also contact your local Garda station in person or by telephone. Details of all Garda stations are available here. You may call to the Garda station accompanied by a friend or a support worker from one of the many victim support groups.

An Garda Síochána recognise the emotional and physical pain that victims of sexual crime and child abuse may be suffering. This suffering can often be to such an extent that victims feel that they cannot report the crime to An Garda Síochána. The Gardaí acknowledge this difficulty for victims, but encourage all victims of sexual crime and child abuse to make a complaint to An Garda Síochána to ensure that, where possible, the perpetrator is made accountable.

If you report, you will be assured that:

  • it is the duty of An Garda Síochána to investigate fully all reports of sexual crime and child abuse, without exception. Your report will be treated seriously;
  • Gardaí are trained to investigate your report in a compassionate, sensitive and professional manner. Every effort will be made to have a Garda of the gender of your choice allocated to the investigation. Every division of An Garda Síochána now has a specialised trained unit for the investigation of sexual violence, human trafficking, child abuse and domestic abuse. These are called Divisional Protective Support Units and the officers working in them have received specialist training on, among other this, engaging with victims of these crimes;
  • complaints of sexual crime and child abuse are recorded on the Garda Síochána PULSE computer system but access is restricted to personnel involved in the investigation and supervisors;
  • you will be given the contact details of the investigating Garda and kept updated on the progress of the Garda investigation on a regular basis. You will be provided with the PULSE Incident Number relating to your complaint;
  • you will be provided with details of available support services relevant to the crime that you report;

  • you may be accompanied by a solicitor and or another person of your choice when engaging with An Garda Síochána. You may also be provided with other special protective measures such as specially trained interviewers and or an interpreter, depending on your circumstances;

  • An Garda Síochána will communicate and work with Tusla The Child and Family Agency where any child protection concerns arise;
  • when the investigation is complete, an investigation file must be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions;
  • the rights of all parties involved in the investigation will be vindicated.

More information on reporting sexual crime can be found on the An Garda Síochána website.

The Criminal Trial Process

If a decision is made to prosecute the person who committed a crime against you, you may be asked to be a witness in the Court Case against the perpetrator. Click here for information on what to expect from the Courts Process.

Rape Crisis staff can accompany you at any stage of the trial process- before, during and after court hearings. You can contact your local Rape Crisis Centre and trained staff or volunteers will organise to attend at court hearings with you. Whatever the outcome of your case supports services will remain available to you for as long as needed and in any future developments such a parole hearing or release of a perpetrator.

The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland have produced a detailed guide to the legal process for survivors of sexual violence.

The Victims Charter is an important resource to help victims of crime understand the rights that are offered to them under Irish Law. The Charter also describes the Criminal Justice System so that you can understand what to expect. It has a whole section dedicated to victims of sexual violence which you can find at https://www.victimscharter.ie/support-reporting/sexual-violence-victim-information/.