Rape helpline calls almost doubled after McGregor case

Calls to a rape helpline almost doubled over the weekend following the verdict of the civil rape case against Conor McGregor, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has said.

On Friday, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found the mixed martial arts fighter had assaulted Nikita Hand by raping her in a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

McGregor was ordered to pay Ms Hand almost €250,000 (£206,000) in damages.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that since the case ended, a number of retailers, including Tesco, said they will no longer stock products which have been linked to McGregor.

Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of the crisis centre, added that the number of first-time callers increased by 50% over the weekend.

"In the six hours immediately after the verdict was delivered on Friday afternoon the calls surged by 150%," she continued.

“I think the trial has resulted in the scales falling off some people’s eyes as to what the victim experience is in an adversarial legal situation," Ms Morrogh said.

"It has also thrown up some societal questions around the blame and shame placed on the victim when it really needs to be solely at the door of the perpetrator.”

"In Ireland, one in two people who have experienced sexual violence will never tell another person," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.

Rape Crisis NI interim project coordinator Aisling Graham told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme that calls to their information and support service has "doubled over the last week".

"It’s difficult to say if that is due to recent news events or if it’s not, we wouldn’t ask our survivors exactly what has made them call," Ms Graham told the programme.

However, Ms Graham went on to say that they are noticing Rape Crisis NI are getting more calls of "historic events".

"People are thinking that they’re ready to disclose or ready to report it now. That could be something that people are seeing in the news of survivors, it could be a range of different things."

Ms Graham also added that following cases of this nature their organisation would see an increase in people seeking help.

Meanwhile the company that now owns a whiskey originally co-founded by McGregor said it would no longer be using his name and image for their marketing.

A spokeswoman for Proximo Spirits told BBC News NI it had been the "100% owner of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey since 2021".

Earlier, Supermarket Tesco had said it was removing Proper No 12 Whiskey from sale in the UK and Ireland.

The Barry Group told BBC News NI it was removing Forged Stout and Proper 12 from circulation in Costcutter and Carry Out retail outlets.

"This action reflects our commitment to maintaining a retail environment that resonates with the values of our customers and partners," a spokeswoman said.

Forged Irish Stout was founded by McGregor.

A spokesperson for BWG Foods said the products were no longer listed for distribution across its network of SPAR, EUROSPAR, MACE, Londis and XL stores.

Shop chain owner Musgrave is also no longer stocking products linked to the mixed martial arts fighter.

Musgrave operates the Supervalu, Centra, Daybreak and Mace brands.

Irish airport operator DAA said the whiskey was removed from sale in both Dublin and Cork airports over the weekend.

On Monday evening, several hundred people marched in Dublin in support of Ms Hand.

The protesters marched from Dublin City Hall, along the River Liffey and to the office of the Irish director of public prosecutions (DPP) to express concern at what they believe to be a failure in not taking a criminal case against McGregor.

A higher legal threshold applies to a criminal case than a civil case as in a criminal case the burden of proof is beyond reasonable doubt.

In a civil case it is on the balance of probabilities.

Ms Morrogh believes there are social issues which "need to be addressed to encourage victims into the justice system".

"There are wider questions about what kind of society we have where people can’t disclose experiences of sexual violence and know that the person they are talking to does believe them, won’t judge, won’t shame them and won’t blame them," she said.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the director of public prosecutions should offer an answer on why they chose not to prosecute Conor McGregor.

Expressing her solidarity and support for Ms Hand, McDonald said: "She's been through a horrible, horrible ordeal. I think she deserves and I think women more broadly deserve the absolute reassurance that the DPP has really interrogated this matter correctly and has taken the correct course of action".

"Now I am aware that there is a distinction between a criminal charge and a civil case, and the burden of proof is different in both. So it's not for me to do the DPP's job for them, but I think it is reasonable," she told BBC News NI on Tuesday.

"I've heard it in conversations, countless conversations, women asking: 'Well, how is it that, since the civil case was successful, that a criminal charge was not pursued?'

"I think in the interest of public confidence, it would be very, very helpful to have an answer," McDonald added.

In 2020 the DPP told Ms Hand there was "insufficient evidence" to bring a criminal case and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction.

Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous.

When asked about the DPP's decision not to prosecute, the outgoing Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: “We have a very independent system in this country, and I think that's right".

A hearing on legal fees is due to take place this week.

McGregor has also vowed to appeal the decision.