Sexual Abuse Charity, One in Four, to Close

[Posted: Tue 14/10/2003 - www.irishhealth.com]

By Deborah Condon

One in Four, the charity established to support men and women who have experienced sexual abuse, is to close at the end of October, the organisation's director, Colm O'Gorman, has announced.

According to Mr O'Gorman, the organisation has been 'forced to shut down by the decision of the Department of Health to renege on a commitment to fund its counselling programme'.

"It is devastating that after all the incredible hard work and dedication shown by the 16 staff here in establishing this ground-breaking service, we have been forced to the point of collapse by the incompetence or worse, ill will of the Department of Health", he said.

All staff at the organisation were given statutory redundancy notices late last week.

However the department insists that it has 'fully supported' the establishment of the charity. It said that since May 2002, it has provided €633,000 in funding to the organisation.

The department added that counselling is available for victims of all types of abuse through the National Counselling Service and 'it is open to One in Four to refer victims to that service'.

It said that officials from the department 'would hope to meet' with representatives of One in Four later this week, in order to discuss their concerns.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=5314

 

U2 donates €40,000 to One in Four Charity

[Posted: Thu 16/10/2003 - www.irishhealth.com]

By Deborah Condon

Rock group U2 and their manager have said that they will donate €40,000 to One in Four, the sexual abuse charity which earlier this week announced its closure due to funding difficulties.

According to the organisation, it has been inundated with calls of support and encouragement from members of the public, since it announced that it would have to shut on October 31.

One in Four director, Colm O'Gorman, said that the closure was due to a decision by the Department of Health 'to renege on a commitment to fund its counselling programme'. However the department has insisted that it has 'fully supported' the charity and has provided €633,000 in funding since May 2002.

The offer of €40,000 from U2 will enable the organisation to continue its work for a further month.

The charity has expressed its gratitude to the band and its manager, Paul McGuinness, for their 'extraordinary support'.

"The public support from the members of U2 and their manager, as well as the hundreds of individuals who have contacted One in Four to lend their support has been quite overwhelming and demonstrates the high regard the public has for the work of the organisation", the charity said.

One in Four was established to support men and women who have experienced sexual abuse. The organisation provides therapeutic support to almost 100 people every week and has received over 4,000 calls since last January.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=5323&var=print