Sexual Assault means someone has touched you sexually or had sex with you when you did not want them to. If you did not consent or were not in a position to consent (such as being asleep or drunk) then this is a crime. 

• If you are in danger of assault right now call the Garda Siochana (‘the Guards’) on 999 or 112 free from any phone.
• If you have been sexually assaulted recently, contact your local Garda Station and ask for the sexual assault contact, or your closest Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU). SATU is a 24-7 free, confidential HSE service which provides clinical, forensic and supportive care for all gender identities 14 years and older who have experienced sexual violence. They help anyone who has had unwanted sexual contact of any kind. They can also help if you cannot remember what happened but think you may have been sexually assaulted.

There are three options of care for those attending: including forensic examination following reporting to An Garda Síochána, health assessment and care with or without reporting to An Garda Síochána and for patients over 18 years, and forensic examination with safe storage of evidence providing the opportunity for subsequent reporting for up to one year.

Click here for information on SATU and what happens there. 

In Galway call 091 765 751 or 087 63 38 118 from 8am-4pm weekdays, or 091 757 631 outside of those hours and ask for SATU.

The Child and Adolescent Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (CASATS) provides free, confidential, 24-7 clinical, forensic and supportive care to patients under 14 years of age. CASATS and SATU services are co-located. Please find further information on the CASATS service here.

If you are outside of Galway, find your nearest SATU here.

• If you have been sexually assaulted at any time in the past you can call Galway Rape Crisis Centre (GRCC) on 1800 355 355 from 10am – 1pm from Monday – Friday. They will help you to access support. You can also report this crime to the Guards in person or by calling your local station, and the GRCC will support you to do this if you contact them first.
• There is a 24 hour a day 7 day a week helpline for anyone who has been sexually assaulted at any time, call from anywhere in Ireland, 1800 77 8888, details here.
• If you become aware of a person under the age of 17 who has been sexually assaulted please urgently contact the TUSLA Duty Social Work team. The Galway and Roscommon team number is 091 546 235, Mayo is 094 904 9137. For other counties check here for your local contacts.

If this child is at risk you must first contact the Garda Siochana as a matter of urgency.

Galway Rape Crisis Centre
“The Lodge”, Forster Court, Galway City
Tel: 091-564800 (business line) or 1800 355 355 (free helpline)
E-mail: admin@grcc.ie
Website: www.galwayrcc.org

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
70 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 6614911
Freephone: 1800 778 888 AT ANY TIME
E-mail: info@rcc.ie
Website: www.drcc.ie

Rape Crisis Network Ireland
www.rcni.ie

Sexual Violence Centre, Cork
www.sexualviolence.ie