What to do if you have been raped

Call the Garda or Police straight away

This is not your fault, you are not to blame and you are not alone.
The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be.
If you are alone, or with a stranger, get help from the police,
You may be in shock so try to stay warm and in a safe place.
Contact someone you can trust to be with you.
Do not keep the attack to yourself. It can be very helpful to talk to someone straight away about what has happened.
You may suffer from a range of emotions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (a type of shock).
Male victims of rape and sexual assault may experience erections and/or ejaculation as a result of the prostate being stimulated. This is an unconscious and uncontrollable physiological reaction to the assault and not something you should be ashamed of, or embarrassed by.

What do to if you have been Raped

We understand that you may find it painful or embarrassing to talk about what happened. We will be polite, patient, sensitive and nonjudgmental.

You can contact us on our helpline at 1800 340 340 (office hours) or the 24 hour contact line on 1800 77 8888.

If you need urgent medical care or attention, call 999 (or 112 from a mobile) and ask for an ambulance, or go straight to your nearest Accident & Emergency department.

If you have been Raped Abroad

Rape and sexual assault can happen to women and men of all ages and backgrounds. While most visits abroad are trouble-free, we are becoming more aware of people being sexually assaulted whilst they are overseas. Sexual assault can be a very traumatic experience whenever and wherever it happens, but the trauma can be made even more difficult to deal with when it happens abroad. If you have been raped abroad, contact the local Irish Embassy or Consulate for assistance, including medical and legal help. They will be as helpful as they can to anyone who reports that they have had sex against their wishes or been attacked by someone wanting sex. You can find out more on the Rape Crisis Centre Europe website for information about specialist support services in other European countries.