1/4 of Irish people have been sexually abused...

Einhard

I don't know if this is the most appropriate topic for AH, seeing as it's somewhat sensitive, and AH can be a tad, er, flippant about such things, but if you want to get a good cross section of opinion, AH is the place to go. So, having made that qualification...

Can it be true that a full one quarter of the Irish population have suffered some form of sexual abuse? I don't mean in any way to diminish the appalling suffering caused by such abuse, nor the trojan work of advocacy and support groups such as 1 in 4, but I can't believe that 1 million people in the Republic have been sexually abused. There's about 200 people living in my housing estate- statistically, according to those advocating for abuse victims, 50 of them have been abused. Those figures just don't add up for me. One also has to factor in the figures for abusers. If one million people have suffered abuse, then the numbers of abusers must range in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands. So, according to the likes of 1 in 4, between 1.25 and 1.5 million people in Ireland have either been the victims, or the perpetrators of abuse. That's every fourth person you pass in the street, or sit with in class; indeed, every fourth person using AH right now. Maybe I'm incredibly naive and deluded, but such figures stretch credibility for me.

What do other AHers think? And does anyone know where 1 in 4 and other groups get their figures from?

wellboy76

There are 5 in my family and I can categorically say none of us have been.

And thats 1 in 5

TimeToShine

Statistics mean nothing to the individual

ebixa82

Could you please provide a link to such a ridiculous stat.

Lapin

www.oneinfour.org

vibe666

wellboy76 wrote: »

There are 5 in my family and I can categorically say none of us have been.

And thats 1 in 5

they say one in five people is chinese, but nobody in my family is so i think it's another made up statistic too. :rolleyes:

listermint

Yay, another terribily ridiculous stat that does not hold any water in the real world. wooooo oh joy

ebixa82

Lapin wrote: »

www.oneinfour.org

I'm sure the amount of "non-contact" sexual abuse cases artifically inflates that figure tbh...

Einhard

ebixa82 wrote: »

I'm sure the amount of "non-contact" sexual abuse cases artifically inflates that figure tbh...

What the hell is non-contact sexual abuse?

ft9

Too much Tubridy for you OP!

Ban Ki Moon

Someone was watching the late late tonight...

Lapin

ebixa82 wrote: »

I'm sure the amount of "non-contact" sexual abuse cases artifically inflates that figure tbh...

You requested a link.

I provided one.

What you make of it is up to you.

tony1kenobi

Einhard wrote: »

What the hell is non-contact sexual abuse?

It's when you call someone frigid instead of raping them.

Arnold Layne

Maybe 25% of altar boys in the past, considering there are none about now anytim.e I have to go to mass.

From my own experience when I was a 10 year old altar boy, we used to have a Father "Fairy", as we called him, come in to the Sacristy to have a "bit of banter" and "play" with us before we served mass.

A swift kick/punch in the nuts used to send him on his way.

We used to think that he probably enjoyed that as well

mossyc123

Anytime I hear a spokesperson/representative for the group "1 in 4" I automatically switch-off.

If they were called "1 in 100" I might be inclined to listen to what they have to say but having such a ridiculously inaccurate figure as there title really makes me wonder if anything they have to say is based on fact.

Find it very strange that they have never been challenged on this before.

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/savi/

I just cant find it in any way credible!

TheZohanS

Lapin wrote: »

You requested a link.

I provided one.

What you make of it is up to you.

Girls: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in ten (10.0 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In over a quarter of cases of contact abuse (i.e. 5.6 per cent of all girls), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Boys: One in six men (16.2 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in four-teen (7.4 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In one of every six cases of contact abuse (i.e. 2.7 per cent of all boys), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either anal or oral sex.'

Am I missing something or is the combined average less than one in five?

tony1kenobi

TheZohan wrote: »

Am I missing something or is the combined average less than one in five?

Yes. It's one in five and a half.

Don't discount midgets.

Einhard

mossyc123 wrote: »

Anytime I hear a spokesperson/representative for the group "1 in 4" I automatically switch-off.

If they were called "1 in 100" I might be inclined to listen to what they have to say but having such a ridiculously inaccurate figure as there title really makes me wonder if anything they have to say is based on fact.

Find it very strange that they have never been challenged on this before.

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/savi/

I just cant find it in any way credible!

I don't know if I'd go so far as to switch off or dismiss them entirely. They do some fine work helping and advocating for victims of appalling abuse. But I get where you're coming from; the 1 in 4 stat is frankly stretching credulity to the limit.

I find it credible based on the people I know although I would have thought it was more 1 in 8 or so. Anyone who thinks only 1 in 100 people has been sexually abused has their head jammed up their arse.

Uriel.

1 in 4 or 1 in 8 or 1 in 100, whatever the teue figure is, it's a shocking and a sad indictment of how evil human life in Ireland (and elsewhere) can be - referring to both the abusers and those around them who let it happen

I feel so sorry for the victims, many of whom never had a normal life following the abuse

whatsamsn

Yeah the whole 1 in 4 is total BS.
As another user said, there is also 5 in my family.

whatsamsn

Kent Brockman: Mr. Simpson, how do you respond to the charges that petty vandalism such as graffiti is down eighty percent, while heavy sack beatings are up a shocking nine hundred percent?

Homer Simpson: Aw, you can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of all people know that.



Nuff said.

midlandsmissus

mossyc123 wrote: »

Anytime I hear a spokesperson/representative for the group "1 in 4" I automatically switch-off.

If they were called "1 in 100" I might be inclined to listen to what they have to say but having such a ridiculously inaccurate figure as there title really makes me wonder if anything they have to say is based on fact.

Find it very strange that they have never been challenged on this before.

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/savi/

I just cant find it in any way credible!

I'd well believe that fiigure from my own personal experiences.

It's quite shocking the amount of girls I know who were sexually abused as a child. Three girl's I'm just thinking of: Male babysittter, dad, grandad.

jackie1974

I don't know where they get their stats from and I don't really care, they do a great job with survivors of abuse, thats all that matters imo

TanG411

Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors.

mossyc123

Amirah Quaint Twig wrote: »

I find it credible based on the people I know although I would have thought it was more 1 in 8 or so. Anyone who thinks only 1 in 100 people has been sexually abused has their head jammed up their arse.

Just had this discussion with my folks after the Late, Late.

There both in there 60's and of all the people they knew could only think of 1 person who was sexually abused.

Personally, I couldn't name anyone that im aware of in all my social circles who was sexually abused.

I know that being aware of something is different to whether or not it happened. I'd be the sort of person (without blowing my own trumpet) who people would open up to and be able to talk to about something like this.

Another question about these stats must be how were they prepared.

Say for example the teenage girl whose kissing a guy and he drops the hand only to have it slapped away in double quick time.

Does that count as contact sexual abuse in these stats?

If so then that's probably every girl I know!

Einhard

jackie1974 wrote: »

I don't know where they get their stats from and I don't really care, they do a great job with survivors of abuse, thats all that matters imo

I agree that they do great work, but if they're peddling a falsehood that Ireland is a nation of abuse victims or perpetrators, then it does matter to be honest. It's a massive and serious charge to make, and, were it true, would be a damning indictment of the nation. If it's not accurate, as I suspect, then such a slander (for want of a better word) shouldn't go unchallenged.

mossyc123

jackie1974 wrote: »

I don't know where they get their stats from and I don't really care, they do a great job with survivors of abuse, thats all that matters imo

That they do a fine job is not in doubt.
A silly title like "1 in 4" does no justice to there cause in my opinion.

jackie1974

mossyc123 wrote: »

Just had this discussion with my folks after the Late, Late.

There both in there 60's and of all the people they knew could only think of 1 person who was sexually abused.

Personally, I couldn't name anyone that im aware of in all my social circles who was sexually abused.

I know that being aware of something is different to whether or not it happened. I'd be the sort of person (without blowing my own trumpet) who people would open up to and be able to talk to about something like this.

Another question about these stats must be how were they prepared.

Say for example the teenage girl whose kissing a guy and he drops the hand only to have it slapped away in double quick time.

Does that count as contact sexual abuse in these stats?

If so then that's probably every girl I know!

If you think this is sexual abuse then you really need to come into the real world seriously :eek:

Terry

Had a 13 year old (female) babysitter try to molest me when I was 8.
Yeah, giggidy, Nice and so forth. It's scary when you are 8 years old.

Had my friend's 16 year old brother try to molest me when I was 11.

Child sex abuse is rampant in this country.
I spoke up because I wasn't afraid.
Granted, both potential abusers didn't scare me. It's a lot more intimidating for most victims.

Taking the piss out of victims and glorifying the abusers doesn't really help.
Child abuse is not funny.
Unfortunately, many people feel the need to take the piss out of child sex abuse. These people are the Catholic Church of the future.
When someone feels your child up, these people will laugh at you.
You know who you are.
Sick Fúcks.

MrPoker

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/

Quote from website: "In Ireland research has shown that one in four children (27%) will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18"


I have great sympathy for people that have been abused in the past but in this day and age that is total bull****!

midlandsmissus

mossyc123 wrote: »

Just had this discussion with my folks after the Late, Late.

There both in there 60's and of all the people they knew could only think of 1 person who was sexually abused.

Personally, I couldn't name anyone that im aware of in all my social circles who was sexually abused.

I know that being aware of something is different to whether or not it happened. I'd be the sort of person (without blowing my own trumpet) who people would open up to and be able to talk to about something like this.

Another question about these stats must be how were they prepared.

Say for example the teenage girl whose kissing a guy and he drops the hand only to have it slapped away in double quick time.

Does that count as contact sexual abuse in these stats?

If so then that's probably every girl I know!

No, that doesn't count, and I'm not picking at you personally, but that kind of comment trivialises the matter.

I just thought of another girl I know that was raped repeatedly by her brother, and another girl I knew in school who told me she was raped by her stepdad as a child.

I think women are far more aware of these things than men, as for a start men don't talk to friends about stuff like this, and also that abuse is more predominantly directed at girls.

Mardy Bum

Whatever statistician put that together must of picked his sample from an obviously bias area or picked a very small sample which implies an obviously useless statistician

OR

Its complete bull****.

midlandsmissus

MrPoker wrote: »

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/

Quote from website: "In Ireland research has shown that one in four children (27%) will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18"


I have great sympathy for people that have been abused in the past but in this day and age that is total bull****!

How could you possibly know? The amount of girls I know that have gone through stuff is crazy. Abuse is a VERY common thing.

midlandsmissus

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Whatever statistician put that together must of picked his sample from an obviously bias area or picked a very small sample which implies an obviously useless statistician

OR

Its complete bull****.

Are you male or female?

mossyc123

midlandsmissus wrote: »

No, that doesn't count

Are you 100% sure that the example I have given and others like it were not included in the overall stats?

I realise that it doesn't count in the real world, but in the world of quangos trying to justify there funding...

Red Hand

Terry wrote: »

Taking the piss out of victims and glorifying the abusers doesn't really help.
Child abuse is not funny.
Unfortunately, many people feel the need to take the piss out of child sex abuse. These people are the Catholic Church of the future.
When someone feels your child up, these people will laugh at you.
You know who you are.
Sick Fúcks.

The Gombeen element of Irish society. There is quite a thick wedge of these f*ckers on boards alright. Many will be posting in this thread, wait and see.

KeithAFC

Does not surprise me at all. Disgrace.

mossyc123

jackie1974 wrote: »

If you think this is sexual abuse then you really need to come into the real world seriously :eek:

You've missed my point entirely.

I DON'T personally believe this is sexual abuse.

Obviously.

I was questioning whether or not examples such as these might have been used to inflate the figures.

EverEvolving

MrPoker wrote: »

http://www.oneinfour.org/about/

Quote from website: "In Ireland research has shown that one in four children (27%) will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18"


I have great sympathy for people that have been abused in the past but in this day and age that is total bull****!

It is total bull shit, everyone knows that one in four is 25%

ArtSmart

wrote:

This is based on both contact and non contact childhood sexual abuse percentages outlined in the SAVI Report (p.33).

'Prevalence of Sexual Violence Child Sexual Abuse (defined as sexual abuse of children and adolescents under age 17 years).
Girls: One in five women (20.4 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in ten (10.0 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In over a quarter of cases of contact abuse (i.e. 5.6 per cent of all girls), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Boys: One in six men (16.2 per cent) reported experiencing contact sexual abuse in childhood with a further one in four-teen (7.4 per cent) reporting non-contact sexual abuse. In one of every six cases of contact abuse (i.e. 2.7 per cent of all boys), the abuse involved penetrative sex — either anal or oral sex.'

stats are tricky things. the question is what they defined by sexual abuse . even so, the figures for penetrative sex are still pretty high.

but i think the name 1 in 4 is probably not appropriate. however i dont really know the details of the report cited or this area in general.

Mardy Bum

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Are you male or female?

Male.

This makes my opinion invalid does it?

midlandsmissus

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Male.

This makes my opinion invalid does it?

Not at all.

My theory is that everyone on this thread who has posted so far saying that the 25% figure is rubbish, is male. And you just fit into it.


I think there is a reason for this. Women share, men don't hear all the horror stories, and would probably be amazed to know how actually prevalent this stuff is.

Einhard

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Not at all.

My theory is that everyone on this thread who has posted so far saying that the 25% figure is rubbish, is male. And you just fit into it.


I think there is a reason for this. Women share, men don't hear all the horror stories, and would probably be amazed to know how actually prevalent this stuff is.

Prevalent is one thing, but if we accept the premise of 1 in 4, and include a conservative estimate based on that figure of the number of abusers, then approx every third person you pass on the street, or every third person that gets in every bus, either has either been abused, or has abused someone. That's more than merely prevalent; that's abuse on a massive scale. And I just don't buy that.

tony1kenobi

MrPoker wrote: »

"In Ireland research has shown that one in four children (27%) will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18

Yea but once they are over 18 they aren't children. Statements like this does not really highlight the issue more than the stupidity of those making it. Not helpful is it? Not you poster, the numpty you quoted.

Mardy Bum

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Not at all.

My theory is that everyone on this thread who has posted so far saying that the 25% figure is rubbish, is male. And you just fit into it.


I think there is a reason for this. Women share, men don't hear all the horror stories, and would probably be amazed to know how actually prevalent this stuff is.

I will have a read of the study and then conclude if it is statistically correct.

I am just questioning the study itself and how it was carried out, just the figures.

newmug

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Not at all.

My theory is that everyone on this thread who has posted so far saying that the 25% figure is rubbish, is male. And you just fit into it.


I think there is a reason for this. Women share, men don't hear all the horror stories, and would probably be amazed to know how actually prevalent this stuff is.

To be fair Midlandmissus, you're the only one vehemently standing up for that statistic on this thread. Maybe YOU have experience with a lot of abused people in your life, and I'm sorry if you have, but not everybody does.

midlandsmissus

Einhard wrote: »

Prevalent is one thing, but if we accept the premise of 1 in 4, and include a conservative estimate based on that figure of the number of abusers, then approx every third person you pass on the street, or every third person that gets in every bus, either has either been abused, or has abused someone. That's more than merely prevalent; that's abuse on a massive scale. And I just don't buy that.

Whereas I'd say every woman would accept this figure as the truth, knowing the amount of women they do who have been abused.

I just know so many.

As I said, men don't talk about this kind of thing.

It IS going on on a wide scale, massive scale if you will.

Einhard

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Whereas I'd say every woman would accept this figure as the truth, knowing the amount of women they do who have been abused.

I just know so many.

As I said, men don't talk about this kind of thing.

It IS going on on a wide scale, massive scale if you will.

Have one in three of your friends, relatives, or acquaintances confided in you that they have been the victims or perpetrators of sexual abuse?

mossyc123

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Whereas I'd say every woman would accept this figure as the truth, knowing the amount of women they do who have been abused.

I just know so many.

As I said, men don't talk about this kind of thing.

It IS going on on a wide scale, massive scale if you will.

I'd struggle to find any female I know of any age who'd agree with the "1 in 4" figure.

Skid

vibe666 wrote: »

they say one in five people is chinese, but nobody in my family is so i think it's another made up statistic too. :rolleyes:

Well, my parents are Irish

I'm Irish and so is my brother, so I'd have my doubts about that statistic.



Having said that. I've always wondered about my sister Chun-li ...