Kate Duggan, chief executive of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, revealed that about 50% of child sex abuse cases referred to the agency’s specialist service last year involved abuse by other children, signaling an “increasing trend” of peer-on-peer sexual abuse, according to testimony delivered Wednesday to an Oireachtas committee.
Rise in Peer-on-Peer Abuse Highlighted
The Barnahus service, a child-friendly model offering integrated Garda, medical, and therapeutic support for victims of sexual abuse, received 462 referrals last year. The Icelandic-inspired program, operational in Galway and Cork with a third site under development in Dublin, aims to reduce the trauma of multiple agency visits for children. “We are starting to see an increasing trend of peer-on-peer sexual abuse or allegations of sexual abuse,” Duggan stated, citing data from the service.
Barnahus Model Expands Amid Growing Demand
Tusla’s 2025 annual report showed child protection referrals surpassed 100,000 for the first time last year, more than double the 43,000 recorded a decade earlier. Duggan attributed the rise to “complex social situations,” including housing instability, poverty, and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, alongside greater awareness of abuse. The agency also expressed concerns about criminal gangs exploiting children in drug-related activities, noting higher levels of sexual exploitation in community settings than among children in care.
Surge in Referrals Linked to Social Challenges
Duggan outlined a “wellbeing check” for more than 40,000 children whose cases were closed during the pandemic, ordered after the discovery last year of three-year-old Daniel Aruebose’s remains. The review, expected to conclude in autumn, aims to assess how agencies like Tusla, the Department of Social Protection, and educational institutions track children’s welfare. “That is going to have great learning for the State,” Duggan said, citing potential improvements in data collection and cross-agency communication.
Wellbeing Check Aims to Address Systemic Gaps
The increase in referrals has coincided with broader societal pressures, including economic hardship and rising awareness of abuse. However, Duggan emphasized that the trend reflects both improved reporting and “the absolute rise in complex social situations.”
Calls for Tailored Solutions to Child-on-Child Abuse
Did You Know? The Barnahus model, pioneered in Iceland, is implemented at two sites in Ireland—Galway and Cork—with a third site under development in Dublin.
What percentage of Tusla’s child sex abuse referrals involved peer-on-peer abuse in 2023? About 50%, according to data from the Barnahus service.
How many child protection referrals did Tusla handle in 2023? The agency reported over 100,000 referrals, more than double the 43,000 recorded a decade earlier.
What is the purpose of the wellbeing check on 40,000 children? The review, ordered after the discovery of Daniel Aruebose’s remains, aims to evaluate how agencies track children’s welfare and improve protective measures.
What steps could policymakers take to address the rising incidence of peer-on-peer sexual abuse among children?