Oxfordshire sexual abuse charity says sector faces funding crisis
Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is urging people to sign a petition to call for clarity on funding.
Last updated 18th Jun 2024
An Oxfordshire sexual abuse charity is calling for more clarity over funding to stop centres closing.
Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre say the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund is the only ring-fenced government funding for them, and makes up a huge 30% of their funding.
Only this May, a Rape Crisis centre was forced to close its doors, due to the insecurity of its funding and the CEO at OSARCC, Lauren Kendell fears more could follow.
She tells us:
"If we were to lose that we would lose a huge chunk of our funding every year, but on top of that we are still struggling like many small charities to meet our running costs."
In June 2023 OSARCC had to pause their helpline due to lack of funding.
Lauren Kendell tells us: "Any party that is serious about ending sexual violence and abuse and supporting survivors must therefore, at a minimum, pledge in its manifesto to recommission the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund from March 2025."
So far there's been no commitment from any political party to extend the Fund beyond March next year.
To draw attention to this issue, 39 centres under the Rape Crisis England and Wales banner, has launched a petition calling on our politicians to commit to secure, long-term funding for Rape Crisis centres.
Only this May, a Rape Crisis centre was forced to close its doors, due to the insecurity of its funding and the CEO at OSARCC, Lauren Kendell fears more could follow.
6.5 million women have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16 in England and Wales. An estimated 1 in 6 children experience sexual abuse. Women who have been sexually abused by a partner are seven times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than those who were not.