Psychological care after sexual assault in Ireland: towards a trauma-informed pathway

Sexual violence is common in Ireland and can have important psychological and psychiatric consequences. This paper examines sexual assault in Ireland, the role of Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATUs), evidence on mental health outcomes following sexual violence, and current psychological and psychiatric supports. Ireland has a mature national SATU network providing acute medical and forensic care, with links to Rape Crisis Centres (RCCs), Sexual Violence Centres (SVCs), and other supports. However, sexual assault is also a potentially life-altering psychological trauma, associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, suicidality, substance misuse, and deterioration in pre-existing mental illness. We argue that care should be understood as a coordinated, trauma-informed pathway. We propose brief early psychological intervention at first SATU contact, better funding for allied support services, and an integrated national pathway for continuing trauma-informed psychological and psychiatric care.