Almost one in ten people who experienced sexual violence as an adult experienced it in the last 12 months, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office.
The CSO's Sexual Violence Survey shows that 30% of 18-24 year olds reported the highest level of sexual violence in the last year.
Last month, the CSO released the main findings of a major sexual violence survey undertaken last year.
Today it has released further information relating to people who have experienced sexual violence in adulthood.
Almost one in ten adults said they experienced sexual violence in the last 12 months.
The CSO findings show 30% of 18-24 experienced the highest level of sexual violence in adulthood in the previous year; of that, 18% reported that the sexual violence was by a non-partner.
The findings also show that single adults were 33% more likely to have experienced sexual violence compared to 22% of those who were married.
The report states that 30% of disabled people experienced sexual violence in adulthood compared to non-disabled people at 25%.
The survey of over 4,500 adults was sought to get a full understanding of prevalence of sexual violence across the population.
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Today's statistics relate to providing greater detail on adult sexual violence experiences including those with a partner (current or former) and non-partner.
It also provides additional information on sociodemographic characteristics of the overall prevalence levels.
It states 9% of adults who experienced sexual violence as an adult experienced it in the last 12 months.
One quarter of women experienced sexual violence as an adult with a partner.
The statistics show 30% of men who experienced sexual violence as an adult with a non-partner experienced it in a pub, club or disco.
Sexual violence experienced as an adult relates to experiences which occurred over the age of consent in Ireland (17 years) which were shared in the survey by respondents who were aged 18 or over.
Those who were "Asian or Asian Irish" were less likely to have reported experiencing sexual violence as an adult (14%) than those who were "White Irish" (27%) or "White Roma/traveller/other white background" (28%).
Bisexuals and gay/lesbian people reported higher levels (55% and 40% respectively) of sexual violence as an adult than heterosexual/straight people (25%).
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There is a concern about where younger people are learning about romantic and sexual relationships, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre CEO Noeline Blackwell has said.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Ms Blackwell said: "There is a real worry about where they are getting their information about what is and what is not acceptable.
"The guards themselves are reporting that a lot of younger people are perpetrating sexual violence as well as being victims of it.
"Where people are getting a lot of their information from pornography and the internet, they're likely to be getting abusive information.
"It's a real worry that people might think that that kind of violence is what's expected of them, that they're expected to put up with it or perpetrate it."
There are "probably a whole variety of reasons" that 18-24 year olds are experiencing sexual violence, Ms Blackwell said.
"Lets face it, 18-24 year olds are probably out more. They're probably experimenting more, they’re finding their own way through sexual relationships more, so that’s one part of it," she said.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said it is not surprised by the CSO findings that 18 to 24-year-olds represented the highest number of adults that experienced sexual violence in the last 12 months.
USI's Vice President of Welfare Sarah Behan believes the number is higher because of a reluctance by younger people to report sexual violence.
"...people are quite reluctant to report these incidents over fear of not being believed and the repercussions that come with the justice system", she said.
The USI has welcomed the latest data from the CSO in the hope that it will encourage the Government to introduce extra funding for sexual consent programmes like one that is running at University of Galway.
The consent programme in the University supports young people to build their knowledge of consent as a key component of positive sexual health and well-being.
While the statistics around 18 to 24-year-olds may be shocking to some people according to Sarah Behan, it will not have come as a surprise to those working with young people.
The USI Vice President of Welfare added that she is not "a big fan" of the narrative that young people are socialising more which could point to the high number of them reporting sexual violence in the last 12 months.
Ms Behan said that argument created "some sort of an excuse".
