HARMAN ANNOUNCES £1MILLION FUNDING FOR RAPE CRISIS CENTRES

18 March 2008

Minister for Women Harriet Harman today announced new funding of up to £1million, aimed at keeping a number of Rape Crisis Centres open.

The new funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government, Government Equalities Office, Department for Health, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and Cabinet Office, should enable centres to stay open and provide vital support services to rape victims while work is undertaken to develop a sustainable business model for the longer term.

This is in addition to £1.4 million for support for victims of sexual crimes, the majority of which comes from the Victims Fund.

Yesterday Ms Harman visited the Haven, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Camberwell, south London, to see the support offered to victims of rape and consider what more can be done.

Ms Harman said:

“Rape Crisis England and Wales has done an important job in alerting us to the funding challenges faced at a local level by these rape crisis centres.

“We’ve stepped in with this emergency funding to help stop them from closing, while we consider the best way forward.”

“Rape is one of the most devastating offences for victims. It violates the basic right of women, men and children to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Funding for support for victims of sexual offences has significantly increased over the last eight years from about £400,000 in 2001-02 to £3million today.

Last year, there were more than 13,000 recorded rapes in England and Wales. There has been a significant increase in the number of rapes reported to the police since 1997, but many still go unreported as victims may still be reluctant to come forward because of fear of a sceptical response.

The Government has emphasised that it takes rape very seriously, and convictions for the crime are 26% higher today than in 1997. It is committed both to offering support to victims and bringing offenders to justice, and has recently announced £1million of funding to tackle both domestic and sexual violence. This includes:

£760,000 to continue funding the 38 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers being piloted across the country;
£75,000 for Rape Crisis England and Wales; and
£75,000 for The Survivors' Trust.

Media enquiries

Please contact Victoria Francis on 0207 276 0996 / 07920 213832

Victoria.francis@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Notes for editors

Harriet Harman visited the Haven in Camberwell on Monday 17th March 2008. The Haven centre is part of the King’s College Hospital. Jointly funded by the Metropolitan Police and the NHS, the centre offers medical care and practical and emotional support for victims of sexual assault in London.

The Government published a sexual violence action plan last April, which will increase access to health and support services for victims, and improve the way in which the criminal justice system responds: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/Sexual-violence-action-plan

A joint fund, of up to £1 million, has been established in order to address the stability and sustainability problems faced by voluntary and community organisations, including rape crisis centres, which provide support to victims of sexual violence.

Government has invested £10million over the last four years to support victims of sexual violence; this year alone it has invested £3million, with £1.25 million from the Victims’ Fund to assist voluntary and community support, and £150K for the umbrella organisations Rape Crisis England & Wales and the Survivors Trust. The Govt has already committed to match this £1.4 million package for the next financial year (2008/09).