Rape Crisis England and Wales is the national

umbrella organisation An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and iden ...

for non-profit

rape crisis centre A rape crisis centre, also known as a sexual assault crisis centre or sexual assault referral centre (SARC), is a specialised centre to support victims of rape or other sexual assault, both in the immediate aftermath of the assault and in the ...

s across

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. As a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

, Rape Crisis also works to raise awareness of

sexual violence Sexual violence is any harmful or unwanted Human sexual activity, sexual act, an attempt to obtain a sexual act through violence or coercion, or an act directed against a person's sexuality without their consent, by any individual regardless of ...

and campaign for change. The rape crisis centres it represents are distinct from sexual assault referral centres, or SARCs, which are run by the

NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

Services

Rape Crisis runs a freephone helpline for people who want to talk about what has happened to them. Specialist support is also available at rape crisis centres which are located throughout the UK. Rape Crisis is independent of the government and criminal justice system, and its services are available irrespective of whether or not the person wants to report the assault. In fact, only around 10% of the people who use Rape Crisis services also report the assault to the police. These

not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...

community-based centres are distinct from sexual assault referral centres, or SARCs, which are funded and run by the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

. SARC staff comprise specifically-trained doctors, nurses, and other support staff.

Impact of rape crisis services

Rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...

and sexual violence affects a significant proportion of the population. In the UK around 1 in 4 women (24%) are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, and there are about 80,000 incidents of rape or attempted rape every year. A study by Durham University found that Rape Crisis centres are highly effective in supporting women who have been sexually assaulted.

Nicole Westmarland Nicole Westmarland (born 1977) is a British academic and activist in the area of violence against women. She is currently a professor at the Durham University, University of Durham, where she researches rape, domestic violence and prostitutio ...

and colleagues asked women who had used Rape Crisis centres about the ways in which the support they received had helped them in their lives. The number of people who said that they felt in control of their life doubled following Rape Crisis counselling, and mental health symptoms such as flashbacks and panic attacks were alleviated in around a third of the women who had initially reported these problems.

''Rape Crisis: Responding to Sexual Violence''

''Rape Crisis: Responding to Sexual Violence'', by Helen Jones and Kate Cook (2008) charts the history of the rape crisis movement, from its great successes in supporting victim-survivors of sexual violence, to its significant losses as the number of rape crisis centres has dwindled. In the preface, former Chair of Rape Crisis

describes the book as an opportunity for people outside the rape crisis movement to understand its work and motivations. She describes Rape Crisis' journey as simultaneously depressing and inspiring. On the one hand the movement by its very nature highlights the ubiquitous nature of rape, and many rape crisis centres face a continuous battle to secure adequate funds; yet on the other hand rape crisis acts as a testament to the bravery of victim-survivors of sexual assault, and the strength of those who work to support them.

The crisis in rape crisis

In 1984 there were 68 rape crisis centres in the UK, in 2010 this number had fallen to 39. Many Rape Crisis Centres are severely underfunded, with only 1 in 5 centres managing to attain the full funding that they require.

References

External links