Sexual Violence Survey 2022 – Main Results

Experience of sexual violence as an adult

This chapter looks at the detail of the type of sexual violence experienced in adulthood in Ireland. It covers experiences which occurred over the age of consent in Ireland (17 years) which were shared in the survey by respondents who were aged 18 or over. Respondents were asked if they experienced sexual violence experiences with a partner. The survey then separately asked if the person experienced the same set of experiences with a non-partner. Where the text refers to sexual violence with a partner, this relates to experiences with both a partner or with an ex-partner. In this survey, a partner is defined as a person that they are/were married to, living with, a boyfriend/girlfriend or someone they are/were regularly dating.

This chapter covers sexual violence experiences where a person was able to consent but did not and sexual violence experiences where the person was unable to give consent to what they experienced or stop what was happening (where the person reported that they had sexual intercourse when they could not give consent, or stop what was happening because they were asleep, passed out or under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs).

In summary, women reported higher levels of adult sexual violence experienced than men across all sexual violence types. See Figure 4.1.

Almost one in five women experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult

• Almost one in five women (18%) experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult. Non-consensual sexual intercourse is defined as sexual intercourse where the person was coerced, threatened or forced into having sex. They were six times more likely than men (3%) to have experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
• Those aged 25-34 were more likely to have experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult (17%) compared with those aged 65 and over (4%).
• Women aged 25-34 were more likely to have experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult (29%) than those aged 65 and over (7%). See Figure 4.2.
• The highest prevalence among men of non-consensual sexual intercourse as an adult was for those aged 25-34 at 6%, while the lowest rate was 1% for those aged 65 and over.
• Women experienced attempted non-consensual sexual intercourse (20%) at a rate four times higher than men (5%), with 26% of women aged 25-34 reporting they experienced attempted non-consensual sexual intercourse, the highest prevalence across all age groups and sexes.

Almost one in five men aged 25-34 reported experiencing non-consensual sexual touching as an adult

• For men, the highest level for non-consensual sexual touching was 17% among men aged 25-34 compared with 4% of those aged 65 and over. See Table 4.1.
• Non-consensual sexual touching as an adult was experienced by 33% of women compared with 9% of men. Overall, 22% of adults experienced non-consensual sexual touching. Sexual touching in this survey includes instances where a person ever had their breasts and/or genitals touched by a someone without consent or were made to touch someone else’s breasts and/or genitals without consent. See Figure 4.3.
• For women, the highest level for non-consensual sexual touching was 45% among young women aged 18-24 and 25-34 compared with 16% of those aged 65 and over.
• Rates of non-consensual sexual touching as an adult were over four times higher among young women aged 18-24 at 45% compared with 11% for men in this age group.
• Four times the level of women (24%) experienced non-consensual other sexual contact experiences than men (6%). Adults aged 25-34 had the highest rates for non-consensual other sexual contact at 24% compared with 7% of adults aged 65 and over.

One in ten women reported experiencing non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent

Key findings for those who experienced sexual violence as an adult by their ability to give consent:

• One in ten women (10%) experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent. This consists of the 4% of women who only experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent, and 6% of women who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were able to give consent but did not and who also experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when unable to give consent. Situations where a person was unable to give consent to the type of sexual violence they experienced included when they could not give consent, or stop what was happening because they were asleep, passed out or under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. See Table 4.2.
• Overall, 7% of the adult population experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent. This consists of the 3% of adults who only experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent and 4% who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were able to give consent but did not and who also were unable to give consent.
• Men who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse and were able to give consent but did not give it represented 1% of men. The equivalent rate for women was 7%.
• There was an age effect where those younger reported experiencing higher levels of non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent. This was experienced by 12% of those aged 25-34. This consists of the 5% of those aged 25-34 who only experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent and 7% who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were able to give consent but did not and who also were unable to give consent. The equivalent rate for those aged 65 and over was 1%. See Figure 4.4.
• The highest rate of non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent was for women aged 25-34 at 20%. This consists of the 8% of women aged 25-34 who only experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were unable to give consent and 12% who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were able to give consent but did not and who also were unable to give consent. The equivalent rate for women aged 65 and over was 2%.
• For those who experienced non-consensual sexual intercourse when they were able to give consent but did not, the highest rates were reported by women aged 25-34 and aged 35-44 (9% of women in these age groups), compared with 5% of women aged 65 and over.