Victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse will continue to have access to free, confidential support 24 hours a day, following the announcement of £8.7 million in Government funding.
The Ministry of Justice has awarded the funding to Rape Crisis England & Wales to continue operating its national 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line. The service provides specialist, trauma-informed emotional and listening support to anyone aged 16 and over who has experienced sexual violence.
Since launching in 2022, the service has supported survivors through more than 200,000 calls and 75,000 webchats. The new funding will run from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029 and will also support further development of the service, including British Sign Language interpretation and additional support for survivors with different needs.
The investment forms part of a wider Government commitment to improve support for victims and witnesses, including £550 million for specialist services over the next three years.
For more information, read the full announcement on GOV.UK:
Victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse to be supported