Coventry sexual abuse charity stopping referrals as funding removed
CRASAC will be losing out on £195,000 a year from the local authority.
Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) has closed its waiting list to new referrals due to a cut in funding from Coventry City Council. 
The charity supports over 1,500 local adults and children every year who are struggling with the impacts of sexual abuse.
The funding allows them to provide a range of sources to provide specialist counselling, independent sexual violence advice and advocacy.
The cuts come after the local authority announced it will need to slash spending by millions of pounds to balance their books, or they could face bankruptcy next year.
Natalie Thompson, CEO of CRASAC, said they are calling on the council to make sure victims and survivors get the support they need.
She said: "CRASAC is committed to providing the best possible service to our clients. The demand for our services rises year on year and we currently have a list of almost 500 people waiting to access our specialist counselling support.  
"Due to the sudden decrease in funding, we are unable to continue operations at the current level and have taken the difficult decision to close our waiting list to new clients until a sustainable funding resolution can be met. 
"This has not been an easy decision to make, and leaving survivors without the specialist support they need is heart-breaking. But we cannot ethically continue to accept referrals knowing that they could be waiting up to 18 months to get the help they need."
Staff and campaigners for the charity will be protesting outside Coventry Council House on 20 February and the charity is urging people to sign its petition to secure sustainable funding for the service.
In the West Midlands there are an estimated 20,000 victims of child sexual abuse for every support service and waiting times have doubled since 2015.