One-Third of Young Irish Men Say Rape Allegations Need a Conviction to Be Believed

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre published its latest national survey on rape and sexual violence, interviewing more than 1,000 Irish adults. Overall, 19% of respondents believe false rape allegations are frequent, but this perception rises sharply among men under 25, with 48% holding that view. Additionally, 34% of these young men say a rape should only be believed after a court conviction, and 31% insist it must be reported to the gardaí first.

The study also revealed that 40% of under-25 men think the media overstates rape cases, compared with 15% of the general population. Attitudes toward victim responsibility are concerning: 37% of young men and 25% of young women think a victim intoxicated at the time is partly to blame. The survey highlighted that sexual violence remains widespread, with 31% of adults reporting personal experience of some form of sexual violence. Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of the centre, warned that these skeptical attitudes discourage survivors from coming forward.