Leading sexual violence charities in the UK have issued a warning to the government, stating that vital services are at risk of closure if sustainable funding is not urgently provided. The Survivors Trust, Rape Crisis England & Wales, and We Are Survivors, along with over 70 other frontline and membership services, have penned an open letter to the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor, highlighting the grave consequences of inaction.
The lack of sustainable funding is threatening the work of community-based services that offer support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse, with the potential to leave tens of thousands of individuals without the specialized help they need to cope and recover. These services are a crucial lifeline for the majority of survivors who do not report to the police or engage with statutory services.
The scale of the crisis is alarming, with an estimated 500,000 children being sexually abused each year in England and Wales, and 14 million adults living with the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. Additionally, research has shown that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 18 men have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16. However, less than 15% of rape survivors report to the police, and fewer than 3% of those reports lead to charges in the same year.
Furthermore, the lifetime economic cost of sexual violence and abuse against children and adults in one year has been estimated to be over £400 billion. Despite this, the sexual violence sector remains chronically underfunded when compared to domestic abuse services.
In their letter, the organizations have called on the government to take specific actions, including guaranteeing the continuation of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) beyond April 2026 with a 15% uplift and multi-year funding for stability. They also urge for urgent additional funding for specialist voluntary sector services that do not currently receive funding from the RASASF.
The signatories also call for a duty to be placed on NHS England, Police & Crime Commissioners, and local authorities to work with specialist voluntary agencies to assess and meet local sexual violence and abuse survivor support needs. They emphasize the importance of recognizing the distinct expertise required for sexual violence and ensuring that it is not conflated with domestic abuse in policy or funding.
The upcoming VAWG strategy must also recognize the distinct needs of sexual violence survivors, including men and children, and reflect these in departmental spending, according to the organizations.
A spokesperson for the signatories stated that without urgent government action, there is a realistic possibility that the majority of specialist sexual violence services will have to close, leaving limited support for survivors and hindering the Government’s own ambitions to halve violence against women and girls. They stress that these services are essential, as they save lives, save money, and help aide prevention efforts.
Duncan Craig OBE, founder and Chief Executive Officer of We Are Survivors, the largest male survivor organization in the UK, shared his personal experience of struggling to find help for himself in 2007. He stated that back then, resources were scarce, especially for boys and men. However, in the last 18 years, the sexual violence sector has mobilized and taken on a more proactive and collegial attitude towards helping all victims/survivors, regardless of gender or age. Craig emphasized that we cannot afford to go back in time and see fewer and fewer specialist rape and sexual abuse organizations delivering services.
Fay Maxted OBE, CEO of The Survivors Trust, stated that many survivors of sexual violence and abuse suffer in silence for years before seeking help. She stressed that the specialist voluntary sector services are a unique national resource that must not be lost, as they have provided life-affirming and often life-saving support to women, men, and children for decades. Maxted highlighted the unrivaled knowledge and expertise within the sector and its crucial role in helping the government understand the impact of sexual violence and the importance of effective, trauma-informed, survivor-led therapy and support.
Ciara Bergman, Chief Executive Officer of Rape Crisis England & Wales, joined the call for the work of sexual violence and abuse services to be recognized in the upcoming VAWG strategy and associated funding commitments. She stressed that while many assume that specialized care and support are readily available for survivors, the reality is that this is not always the case. Bergman emphasized the amazing work done by the centres and the people they support and stressed the need for long-term support to work towards ending rape and all forms of sexual abuse.
The organizations have requested formal responses from the Home Secretary and Lord Chancellor by the end of September 2025.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.