Sexual Assault Treatment & Consent
Trigger Warning
This content contains references to sexual assault and its treatment. These topics may be distressing for some. Please prioritise your emotional health and wellbeing. If you need to skip this section please do so, equally if you need to reach out for support you can do so here at Rape Crisis Network of Ireland.
Resources and support systems are also available if you or someone you know are affected by these issues through the SATU (Sexual Assault Treatment Unit) section of the HSE website.
Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Rotunda Hospital, Cristine Pucillo, and Senior Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Daniel Kane sat with us to answer common questions related to Sexual Assault Treatment. In particular, they focus on how to get support and treatment from the SATU, consent and how to support others.
Click on this highlighted text to watch their responses.
Cristine Pucillo, clinical nurse specialist from the SATU (Sexual Assault Treatment Unit) at the Rotunda Hospital introduces the function of the Unit. SATU is a unit staffed with doctors, nurses and midwives who received specialized training to provide care to people of all genders who have experienced sexual assault or rape. All care is FREE of charge and available round the clock.
There are 6 SATU units across Ireland providing 24/7 care 365 days of the year to people aged 14 years and over. We provide care to people of all genders and all care is free of charge.
What is Sexual Assault? Vs What is rape?
There are legal definitions: differentiating between assaults involving penetration and those that do not. The SATU services around the country provide care for people who have experienced (or think they may have experienced) unwanted sexual contact of any kind.
What if I didn’t want to consent but I didn’t say “no”?
It is common to freeze that you can’t move or speak, especially in an unsafe situation. However, not saying no is different from giving consent. Consent needs to be freely and voluntarily given.
If a person is under any violence, threat, or pressure, consent is not freely given.
You also need capacity to give consent, and certain things can affect your capacity to give consent, such as alcohol or drugs, your age, etc.
Consent is also ongoing, so if you agreed to something before, this doesn’t mean you agree to that something forever. In the same way, if you agreed to something, that doesn’t mean you agreed to everything.
If in doubt, always ask, and try to be as clear as possible with each other.
What Help Can I Get In The SATU?
Dr. Dan Kane SATU Forensic Examiner, explains what help you can get at the SATU:
When someone goes to the SATU, the main aim for the SATU staff is to make sure they are ok.
There are three care options that they can avail of:
1) If they attend with the Gardaí, the SATU staff will offer to do a forensic exam: they look for any injury that the person might have, and they will collect samples to collect DNA evidence.
2) If someone doesn’t want to go to the guards in the first instance, they can have what’s called a “storage of evidence”. This is where the patient has a forensic exam without the Gardai, and the SATU staff keeps the evidence and stores it. That person can make a decision later on if they want to report it or not.
3) If someone doesn’t want a forensic exam, or if it happened outside of a certain timeframe, SATU staff will offer a health screen, where they would check for STIs. If anything is found, treatment will be offered to them.
If you have any concerns, trust your instincts. Please reach out to your local SATU, and we can discuss how we can best help you. We are always happy to speak with you or answer any questions about options of care or resources available to you.
Do I need to come with my parents? Can an older sibling be present instead?
Anyone under the age of 18 attending the SATU must come with a parent or legal guardian.
The staff are obliged to notify the event to the child services in Tusla.
If the young person wishes to avail of ‘storage of evidence’ without reporting the event, this can be arranged from the age of 16 and up.
This is to protect the young person.
An older sibling may be present to provide support, but they cannot attend in place of a parent or legal guardian.
How do you support a survivor of sexual assault?
First thing, make sure they are physically safe and that you remain physically safe too.
If they are not safe, it is very important that you call the Gardaí.
If they are not in an immediate danger, the most important thing you can do is LISTEN. Let them express themselves how they need to. Don’t judge their feelings. It is important to be there for them.
Allow them to make their own decisions about what they want to do. When appropriate, suggest to them to consider telling a trusted adult. Never push them into doing something that they don’t feel comfortable with.
There are a lot of agencies out there that offer support both to survivors and to you as a support person:
National 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline: 1800 77 8888
We Consent Ireland https://www.we-consent.ie/resource-hub/resources/advice-for-those-supporting-others/
Getting Support
If you feel like you have been sexually assaulted or raped, or you suspect something has happened, the most important thing is to ask for help. Here are some important links to support services:
Sexual Assault Treatment Units: www.hse.ie/SATU
Rape Crisis Network Ireland: www.rcni.ie and on instagram @rape_crisis_network_ireland
We Consent campaign – Ireland’s new national programme on consent: www.we-consent.ie @weconsentirl
Debunking the Myths – The Science Behind Our Sexual Health is a series of expert-led workshops and interactive tools for teenagers focused on sexual health. It is developed by the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in collaboration with the Rotunda Hospital to supplement the Relationship Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum.
The aim of the project is to provide clear and factual information in relation to sexual health, sexual assault and consent. For more information visit Debunking the Myths on Instagram or TikTok.
