LAST YEAR was one of "broken promises for children", according to the child-protection charity Cari (Children At Risk in Ireland).
The organisation's annual report, published this morning, shows it had a 22 per cent increase in calls - to 1,541 - to its helpline last year while the number of therapy appointments was up by 12 per cent, to 123 family appointments.
In her commentary, chief executive Mary Flaherty said there had been a promise from the Taoiseach at the start of 2007 that there would be a referendum to copperfasten the rights of children in the Constitution.
"At year end only some emergency patching up of legislative gaps had been delivered . . . The Constitution is incapable of vindicating the fundamental rights of children in its current formulation.
"In our work with children who have experienced sexual abuse we come across too many children who, having disclosed abuse, are put back into those abusive situations often because their voice is not given as much weight as the adult denying the abuse, supported by the strong constitutional support for marriage."
She said Cari deplored the continued delay to the referendum.
There has also been a "small increase" in the numbers of teenagers contacting Cari after being raped by a stranger. Many fear reporting the rape, says the report, particularly if they had been drinking alcohol or taking drugs prior to the rape, and feared their parents' reaction.
"This highlights that young people in today's society are still under the perception that they may have been complicit in their own rape and they also fear that they may not be supported by peers, family and society at large," says the report.
It also expresses concern about "premature endings" in the therapy it gives to some children for reasons beyond its control such as a change in social worker or the withdrawal of funding from the HSE for a child's therapy.
The charity is concerned for the welfare of "tweens" - young adolescents ar risk of being sexualised too young. "They are targeted by various marketing campaigns in an industry worth billions of euro. The connection must be made between children who are acting out sexually and overtly sexual marketing ploys such as padded bras and thong-underwear for pre-pubescent girls, the Miss Bimbo website and children's stationery from the Playboy empire.
"The blurring of these boundaries makes it possible for these children to become targets for adults who may want to take advantage."
The number of calls to Cari's helpline last year:1,541
HELPLINE:+353-1890924567
EMAIL: helpline@cari.ie
WEBSITE: www.cari.ie
