Appeal for child
abuse helpline
22.06.23
AN Inishowen businesswoman
is appealing for people in the county to back a campaign
for the national child sexual abuse helpline. The CARI
(Children at Risk Ireland) helpline costs €85,000 a year
to run but gets no state funding, says Trish Hegarty,
from Shrove.
“The helpline appeal is asking for 85 people or
businesses to raise €1,000 each to keep this essential
service open. I’ve signed up, but they really need three
people from each county to sign up too in order to reach
their target. So, I’m appealing for just two more people
or businesses in Donegal to back this campaign.
“There is a tendency to think of child sexual abuse as
something in the past, but it happens all the time in
Ireland today and children and their families need
support.” |
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Pictured L-R, Emer
O’Neill, CARI chief executive and Trish Hegarty, Inis
Communications |
CARI is the leading Irish
charity providing child-centred therapy and support
services for children, adolescents and families affected
by child sexual abuse. CARI chief executive and clinical
officer, Emer O’Neill says the helpline is the first
point of contact for those with concerns about child
sexual abuse.
“Parents struggle to cope when faced with the
unimaginable horror that their child is being sexually
abused. They often fear to talk about it without
breaching their child’s privacy. Our helpline gives them
essential support but needs your help to survive and
expand.”
The CARI helpline appeal is backed by Irish rugby
player, Eimear Considine and leading entrepreneur,
former Tipp hurler and child sexual abuse survivor, Tony
Delaney. Mr Delaney spoke openly about his experiences
on the RTE Late Late Show recently.
Trish Hegarty’s company, Inis Communications, is working
with CARI on the helpline appeal campaign. But Trish
says she “wanted to sign up personally to support it
too.
"It’s been shocking to learn about the calls the
helpline receives but also a wake-up call that child
sexual abuse is not just an historic issue."
The CARI helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am –
5pm on 0818 924567.
To sign up, go to:
www.cari.ie .
To support Trish Hegarty’s fundraiser go to:
www.facebook.com . |
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