· Rape Crisis England &
Wales awarded £8.7m government funding
· Service to provide
round-the-clock specialist and confidential support for survivors
and victims of sexual violence
· Part of Government's
commitment to halve violence against women and girls and ensure
swifter justice for victims
Victims-survivors of rape and sexual abuse will get 24/7 support
through a free, trauma-informed, confidential helpline thanks to
new Government funding.
The Ministry of Justice has today (August 20) announced it has
awarded £8.7 million to Rape Crisis England & Wales to
continue their vital around-the-clock Rape and Sexual Abuse
Support Line.
Free to use, the helpline offers confidential emotional and
listening support to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual
abuse aged 16 and over.
Since it launched in 2022, the service has supported survivors
through more than 200,000 calls and 75,000 webchats.
This funding reflects the Government's commitment to tackle these
horrendous crimes and support victims.
Minister Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls,
said:
I've heard far too many devastating stories from traumatised
survivors of rape and sexual assault who felt lost or unsure
where to turn for support.
"I want to say to everyone affected by one of these horrendous
crimes, the Rape Crisis helpline team is always there to listen
to you, believe you and answer your questions.
We're honoured to be able to continue to support their invaluable
work and I'd like to thank everyone in the team for their
dedication to supporting survivors.
Ciara Bergman, Rape Crisis England & Wales CEO
said:
I'm delighted that Rape Crisis England & Wales will continue
to provide the national 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line,
delivering confidential, free and specialist support for
thousands of survivors throughout England and Wales.
The service's success, and the volume of survivors we've already
provided with high-quality, trusted support, are testament to the
dedication and expertise of the Rape Crisis movement. Our
partners, support line staff and volunteers work tirelessly to
ensure that whenever the time is right, no matter who they are or
when it happened, someone will be there to listen, believe and
support them."
Helpline specialists can also help direct victim-survivors
towards long-term support services, whether they have told anyone
about the crime or not. The new funding will support Rape Crisis
to develop the service further, including by introducing British
Sign Language Interpretation and providing dedicated support for
survivors with different needs.
The Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor have also barred rape,
certain child sex and other grooming offences from upcoming
changes to prison sentences, protecting the public from these
dangerous criminals.
The changes mean rape and certain child sexual offences will be
added to the exclusions that are already in place for 18,000
offenders, including those who have been found by a court to be
the most dangerous or anyone serving a life sentence.
The Government is also injecting more than half a billion pounds
into vital support services to help victims and witnesses through
the justice process. This will see a £550 million investment over
the next three years into specialist services that offer
practical and emotional support to victims and witnesses, such as
counselling and advice on attending court.
ENDS
Guidance
· Rape Crisis England
&Wales's 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is for
anyone aged 16 and over in England and Wales who has been
affected by rape, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual
harassment, or any other form of sexual violence at any point in
their life. You can contact the service at any time, day or
night, all year round, on 0808 500 2222.
· The new grant funding will
run from 1 October 2026 30 September 2029.
