Extra £40m for specialist support services for rape and domestic abuse victims
The Government has today (1 February) announced that a further £40million will be made available to specialist support services for victims of rape and domestic abuse.
APCC Victims Leads Sophie Linden, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime; and Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“We welcome this announcement and the additional funding for hard-pressed support services. Supporting survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence is an important priority for Police and Crime Commissioners. We are well-placed to understand and assess the needs of our local areas and we will work with Government to ensure this money goes to the organisations who need it most.
“The increased risk to victims and survivors as a result of Covid-19 has brought a new profile and focus to these issues. PCCs will this week be supporting Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week and the #ItStillMatters campaign to encourage victims of abuse to seek help from the wealth of specialist services we commission.
“But while this latest funding is both much-needed and welcome there remains a need for greater long-term, sustainable investment. Funding for victims’ support services needs to be on a multi-year basis to provide stability and to enable capacity-building and resilience. And it is essential that PCCs are able to use such funding based on our local assessment of need and our awareness of services currently available.”