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MRCC – Our Story

About Mayo Rape Crisis Centre

Mayo Rape Crisis Centre exists to prevent and respond to the crimes of rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence.

Mayo Rape Crisis Centre was established in July 1994 by a small group of women concerned at the lack of services or support in Mayo for women who had experienced sexual violence, abuse or rape.

Mayo Rape Crisis Centre exists to prevent and respond to the crimes of rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence by providing free, professional and confidential counselling in the community for survivors and their families/friends. The Centre also works to raise awareness of the reality of sexual violence through advocacy and training in the community.

The Centre marked its 25th anniversary in 2019.

Mayo Rape Crisis Centre is a member of Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI), the National Sexual Violence Specialists and representative umbrella body for member Rape Crisis Centres.

We are an independent, expert, dedicated, community-based non-governmental Organisation (NGO) made up of staff, volunteers, our Board and supporters. We achieve our mission through maintaining the highest levels of expertise in our provision of professional counselling, advocacy, support, specialist training and raising awareness of the reality of sexual violence.

Director of Services - Loretta Brosnan McDonagh (MA SIAHIP)

Loretta has a background in psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She first joined Mayo Rape Crisis Centre in 1995 as a volunteer counsellor. Prior to her appointment as Director of Services in 2014, her roles in the centre included counselling, training and education work.

Loretta is a fully accredited psychotherapist and cross professional supervisor with IAHIP. She currently serves on the board of Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) and held the position of Chairperson of RCNI 2019 to 2022.

Ethos & Principles

We achieve our mission through maintaining the highest levels of expertise in our provision of professional counselling, advocacy, support, specialist training and raising awareness of the reality of sexual violence.

We are an independent, expert, dedicated, community-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) made up of staff, volunteers, our board and supporters. We believe in:

The right of everyone in our society to live free from the threat and reality of sexual violence
The right to free, confidential, accessible, safe, expert, trauma-based support for all survivors of any form of sexual violence
Working in partnership with our service users, who have unique insights and are active participants in their survival and recovery
Adhering to the Children First Policy
Accountability – from ourselves, our funders, our statutory systems and our communities
Working in partnership with a range of community and statutory agencies to ensure informed, fit-for-purpose responses to survivors of sexual violence
Continual learning regarding the nature of sexual violence crimes and best practice, trauma-informed responses for survivors. Continuing to learn by listening to survivors
The valuable contribution of each volunteer, staff and board member and our shared responsibility and duty of care

Mayo Rape Crisis Centre is a safe place, where our expertise and dedication meets each survivor’s unlimited potential for healing and recovery, as we accompany them on their individual and unique journeys.

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