DRCC Reports Record Demand for Services, Rise in Homelessness-Related Abuse

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) reported record demand for its services in 2025, with its annual report highlighting a significant increase in callers experiencing homelessness and online abuse.

The DRCC helpline recorded 23,955 contacts in 2025, a 5.5 per cent increase from 2024 and a 29 per cent increase from 2023. Of these, 7,352 were first-time callers. The therapy service saw 838 clients, a 31.5 per cent rise from 2024 and a 70 per cent increase since 2023.

The report noted a rise in callers experiencing homelessness, from over 200 in 2024 to more than 300 in 2025, with some trapped in abusive situations, including with landlords, due to fear of losing accommodation. There was also an increase in disclosures of online abuse, particularly among young people, with image-based sexual abuse being a significant issue.

Most callers to the helpline were female (70.2 per cent), with 11.7 per cent male and 0.4 per cent identifying as «other». The largest age cohort was under 30 (20.4 per cent). 41 per cent of callers were from Dublin.