Disclosure of sexual violence

A disclosure of sexual violence happens when someone informs another person, or a service, about what happened to them. Disclosures can take place years after an incident, or incidents, or in the immediate aftermath.

Many victims/survivors may never feel able to disclose the sexual violence they have experienced. In Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, we recognise the importance of not placing pressure on victim/survivors to disclose or to tell their stories unless they choose to do so.

While some victim/survivors may never disclose an experience of sexual violence, others will find relief, comfort and safety in making a disclosure. The CSO Sexual Violence Survey found that the most common reason for disclosing sexual violence was to access support and the second most common reason was motivated by helping others and preventing further victimisation.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre supports victim/survivors to make disclosures of sexual violence to whomever they wish to do so and believes it is their decision if and when they might choose to report sexual violence to the Gardaí.

Jump to:

• Disclosure of childhood sexual violence experiences
• Disclosure of adulthood sexual violence experiences

Disclosure of childhood sexual violence experiences

Disclosures of adulthood sexual violence experiences