The Ministry of Justice has awarded £8.7 million to Rape Crisis England & Wales to fund its free 24-hour Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, which offers confidential emotional and listening support to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse aged 16 and over.
Since its launch in 2022, the service has supported survivors through more than 650,000 calls and webchats combined.
The funding reflects the government’s commitment to tackle sexual violence crimes and support victims, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.
Alex Davies-Jones, the minister for 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 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.
The Rape Crisis England & Wales 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. The service is available at any time, day or night, all year round, on 0808 500 2222.
