More than a quarter of adults have experienced sexual violence – report

Just over a quarter (26%) of the population have experienced sexual violence as an adult, according to a report.

Women, younger adults, bisexual individuals and gay men face significantly higher risks, while most perpetrators are known to victims, the report found.

The research published by the Economic and Social Research Institute and Cuan, as part of their Joint Research Programme on Adult Sexual Violence in Ireland, provides new evidence on the factors associated with experiences of sexual violence among adults in Ireland.

Drawing on data from the 2022 Central Statistics Office Sexual Violence Survey, the report examines patterns of adult sexual violence, including both intimate partner and non-intimate partner sexual violence.

The research provides detailed analyses to date of the population groups most at risk of sexual violence and the circumstances in which sexual violence occurs.

It found that sexual violence affects a substantial proportion of adults in Ireland, however, the risks of victimisation are not evenly distributed across the population.

Women were considerably more likely to report experiences of sexual violence than men – 39%, compared with 12% of men.

The analysis also found that younger adults, those aged 25-29, bisexual individuals and gay men faced significantly greater risks of sexual violence.

Of those who reported any sexual violence as an adult, 25% experienced intimate partner violence only, 40% non-intimate partner violence only, and 35% reported experiencing both intimate partner and non-intimate partner sexual violence.

The majority of people that reported one or more sexual violence experiences indicated that they were aged between 18 and 24 when it first happened, both for intimate partner and non-intimate partner violence.

Of the seven types of sexual violence examined, non-consensual touching of breasts/genitals was the most common type reported, at 21%, particularly among women.

This was followed by attempted other sexual contact and attempted sexual intercourse, at 12%.

The study identified a group in the population, comprising 6%, who had experienced an average of five different types of intimate partner violence, including forced penetrative sex and attempted sexual intercourse.

The research also identified a group comprising 4% of the population who had experienced multiple forms of non-intimate partner violence, including forced penetrative sex and non-penetrative sex when they were unable to give consent because of being asleep, passed out or under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

A notable finding of the study is that most perpetrators of non-intimate partner sexual violence were known to victims, as friends, acquaintances, neighbours and family members were more commonly identified as perpetrators than strangers.

In addition, the research found that many incidents of non-intimate partner sexual violence occurred in domestic settings, either the person’s own home or in another person’s home, along with in familiar social settings such as pubs and clubs.

Ireland is currently implementing its third national strategy to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, entitled Zero Tolerance.

“This new research published today highlights that, while sexual violence is pervasive across Irish society, there are a number of population subgroups that report higher rates of sexual violence, particularly women, younger people and those from sexual minority groups,” the report said.

“Policy needs to focus on understanding the reasons behind this so that targeted interventions can be developed and implemented to support groups at higher risk of sexual violence.”

As the majority of first instances of sexual violence occur before the age of 24, the research also points to young adulthood as a particularly important period for prevention and early intervention efforts.

Cuan chief executive Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe said: “In order to prevent sexual violence and to provide, and target, supports to those who are victims of such violence, a better understanding of the patterns of victimisation is needed.

“Demand for services continues to rise as awareness grows and more people find the confidence to seek help.

“This reflects the impact of awareness-raising efforts, but also reinforces the urgency of continued investment and system strengthening so that services are available for those who need them.”