The return of nightlife and socialising may have contributed to a rising number of recorded rape incidents, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.
It comes as CSO figures show the number of incidents of rape reported to Gardai rose by 24 percent in the last 12 months to the end of June.
Overall, sexual assault-related offences, which include rape, went up by 5 percent by the end of the second quarter of this year.
Image with thanks to the Central Statistics OfficeHappening In Private
CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeline Blackwell, says many offences are still happening at homes:
"Much rape and sexual abuse is still happening in private, in small gatherings, in people's homes."
"So it's a mixture, but undoubtedly there has been that switch now where we're seeing people in situations when they're socialising and where they're suffering sexual assaults including rape."
