Sargent to raise case of child abuse survivor

03 July 2007

By Cormac O?Keeffe
ACTING Green Party leader Trevor Sargent yesterday said he would raise the case of a survivor of child sexual abuse with fellow Government colleagues.

The story of Alice McDermott, a victim of child sexual abuse and founder of lobby group 19+1, was revealed in detail in the Irish Examiner yesterday.

Mr Sargent met with Ms McDermott during the election campaign as party leader. He was moved by her story and told her he would push issues raised by her organisation if in the next Government.

Ms McDermott yesterday called on Mr Sargent, who is a minister for state in the Department of Agriculture, to do what he said. ?Trevor Sargent suggested he would call for a public inquiry into the State?s handling of childhood sexual abuse cases if in Government,? she said.

In response, a spokesman for Mr Sargent said: ?Trevor Sargent will be raising the issues that Alice McDermott has raised with the Minister for Children and Minister for Justice.?

Ms McDermott complained to garda? in 2002 that she was sexually abused 30 years ago.

Two separate Garda files on her case were turned down by the DPP?s office.

Ms McDermott showed the Examiner two separate signed statements from her mother, which tend to support her claims of sexual abuse. She also disclosed medical documents that also supported the possibility that she was raped.

Her lobby group 19+1 wants a public inquiry into the State?s handling of childhood rape cases as well as a raft of other reforms, including a change to the DPP?s policy of not giving victims reasons for not prosecuting their case.

Kate Mulkerrins of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland said the DPP?s policy of not giving reasons was ?essentially an abuse of power? and that it ?massively disimpowered? people who were already disimpowered.

l19+1 can be contacted at 087-6798567. The Rape Crisis Centre 24-hour helpline is 1800-778888.