Half of Irish people would not report the rape of someone else, according to new survey

A new survey has found that only half of Irish people would report a rape to An Garda Síochána if they knew it happened to someone else.

The Women in Ireland survey, conducted by Red C for Newstalk, discussed the current attitudes about rape and sexual assault in Ireland, in a year that has seen significant upheaval worldwide in how we view consent.

The survey found that 80% of people would report a rape committed against them, but if they knew it had happened to someone else, the number of people likely to report dropped significantly. Women are far less likely to report an incidence of rape of someone else compared to men — 40% of women would report an incidence, compared to 60% of men.

The survey also covered the areas of sexual assault incidences, including groping/ touching without consent, indecent exposure and sexual harassment in the workplace. The survey found that 75% of people would report these incidences in the workplace, and two thirds would report groping to the guards.

The Women in Ireland survey covered many factors relating to what it’s like to live as a woman in modern Ireland, including attitudes towards #MeToo, the gender pay gap and societal gender norms. Three out of five people believe that men and women are not treated equally in Ireland, with 70% of women supporting this view and 50% of men. 91% (women) and 85% (men) of those surveyed believe that equal pay and career prospects are unfairly skewed towards men.

Related: New survey reveals that three out of five people believe women are not treated equally in Ireland

When asked whether they have experienced discrimination, twice as many women as men said they have faced unjust or prejudicial treatment with younger people as well as those living in Dublin more likely to have experienced gender discrimination.