The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today released the second of six reports from its Sexual Violence Survey measuring the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland.

The report on ‘Adult Experiences’ provides further detail on adult sexual violence experiences including those experienced with a partner (current or ex) and non-partner.

The report also includes additional information on the sociodemographic characteristics of the overall prevalence levels.

Key findings:

• The majority of perpetrators were male – as partners 84% and as non-partners 87%
• Around one in three adults (34%) with a third level education reported experiencing sexual violence as an adult. They were over five times more likely than those with up to a primary education (6%) to report having experienced sexual violence as an adult.
• Bisexual and gay/lesbian people reported higher levels of sexual violence as an adult (55% and 40% respectively) than heterosexual/straight people (25%).
• Bisexual people reported almost double the level (37%) of sexual violence as an adult with a partner compared with gay/lesbian people (19%). The equivalent rate for heterosexual/straight people was 15%.
• People with a disability experienced sexual violence as an adult at a higher rate (30%) than those without a disability (25%).

Read the full CSO Sexual Violence Survey – Adult Experiences report here.