The Galway Rape Crisis Centre, which runs the Asylum seeker and Refugee Clinic, has warned that there could be another Ryan Report in 20 years time unless urgent changes are made to protect the safety and well-being of people living in direct provision accommodation.
Executive director of the GRCC, Aoibheann McCann, expressed concerns this week that asylum seekers and refugees, placed in hostels and hotels, under direct provision, are being put at risk while private sector owners are making profits.
There is particular concern for minors, and for women, traumatised by rape, who could be re-victimised by perpetrators who can gain easy access to these institutions.
“I can see another Ryan Report on direct provision in about 20 years time. These hostels and hotels are run by the private sector and people are making profits. If you’re going to keep people in institutions it should be the State running it themselves.
‘These are people who have already experienced extreme trauma and are now living in institutions when they haven’t committed a crime. They are almost like prisons. Profits should not be part of this.”
GRCC is particularly concerned for the welfare of unaccompanied minors who have been dispersed by the Government.
“We all know that lots of minors have gone missing, at least if they were all in one place there could be some controls. These problems are just starting in Galway. The clinic here deals with quite a few minors who are at risk and in some cases the Government are disputing that they are minors and they are being treated like adults,” said Ms McCann.
The GRCC established the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Clinic in 2005 in response to the increase in demand for drop-in services.
According to the most recent Reception and Integration Agency (RIA ) report there are currently 732 RIA residents in Galway. Many of the asylum seekers began to seek almost daily help from GRCC which soon realised that a different model of help had to be set up in order to provide the type of long-term counselling and support that was needed. A three-day service for asylum seekers was set up, with the help of initial funding from Pobail.
“Some have experienced gang rape. We’re trying to re-establish their trust in the world. Some have no friends or family around them, they’re not even allowed a room of their own and get only €19 a week so they also experience a sense of powerlessness. This is compounded by direct provision accommodation.
“They are at risk of re-victimisation and are at the mercy of pimps and traffickers. Back in their own countries they could have been raped by police or military so they are very distrustful and reluctant to report crimes to gardai,” she said.
Asylum seekers account for 20 per cent of all the clients seen by the GRCC. From 2005 to 2007 at the clinic: 532 individual counselling sessions were provided, 25 group sessions were held, 62 per cent of the assailants were armed forces in the clients’ country of origin, 79 per cent of clients were survivors of rape, five per cent of clients were survivors of sexual slavery, seven per cent of clients were survivors of child sexual abuse, and nine per cent of clients were survivors of ritual abuse, trafficking, and abuses of an undisclosed nature.
Times are tough times for the GRCC and the waiting list is getting longer, according to Ms McCann, who says that while the bulk of funding comes from the HSE there is always a shortfall and fundraising is vitally important.
GRCC, the largest member centre in the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, is this year celebrating 25 years since its establishment. A number of events will be held to celebrate this accomplishment, one such event includes a conference and gala dinner which will be held at The Ardilaun house hotel on November 27, 2009. For more information about upcoming events and services log onto www.galwayrcc.org
