Support for Mothers and Children

In addition to the challenges any woman can face to an unexpected pregnancy, women who are pregnant as a result of rape have a plethora of additional challenges. They are left with the same trauma as other rape survivors as well as the additional emotional, psychological, and physical hurdles that come with carrying a pregnancy to term knowing that the pregnancy is the result of rape.

The government and the state should provide additional help to these mothers and their children. Their physical and psychological health should be a priority for politicians and every effort should be made to ensure that these mothers are equipped to take care of their children.

Additionally, these mothers need to be assured that they and their children have both physical and legal protection from their rapists. The government should streamline services for these women to ensure that justice is served against their assailants.

Women who choose this recognize the innocence of their children and long to give their children the best possible life- either with them or an adoptive family. However, they still face many difficulties and deserve the full support of the community.

Counselling Services

Women who are survivors of rape are not only victimized as a result of the violent assault itself but also by the psychological issues caused by the trauma. Women are frequently left to deal with serious psychological issues including post-traumatic stress, guilt, anxiety, and depression. These issues can be even more difficult to deal with when the rape results in pregnancy.

Good counselling is necessary for all rape survivors and especially women who become pregnant as a result of the rape. Reliable help must be made available to help women address these issues following the assault, through their pregnancies, and following the births of their children. This is a major health issue and more should be done to assure that survivor’s psychological health is provided for.

Below are some links to rape counselling services in Ireland:

Helpful Links

Adoption Options

• http://www.aai.gov.ie/
• http://www.helpinghands.ie/
• http://www.pact.ie
• http://www.cunamh.com
• http://www.familiesforchildren.ie

Legal Help

• http://www.rcni.ie/what-we-do/justice/

Crisis Pregnancy Help

• http://www.giannacare.ie
• http://www.anew.ie