Rugby and Warwick charities supporting those affected by sexual abuse awarded just under £1million

Two charities in Warwickshire that support those affected by sexual abuse have been awarded a combined total of just under £1million.

Safeline, which has sites in Warwick and Stratford, and RoSA, which is based in Rugby, have been awarded a combined total of £925,508 between now and March 2025 from the Government’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF).

The two Warwickshire bids were among 62 across England and Wales to be supported in the latest round awards, which comes as part of a Government pledge to quadruple funding for victims by 2025.

Neil Henderson, CEO of Safeline, said: “The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund provides vital funding for Safeline to provide specialist support to victims and survivors throughout Warwickshire.

"The funding awarded will help us to continue our work providing specialist and trauma-informed support to victims and survivors impacted by all forms of sexual violence and abuse.”

Julie Bettelley, CEO of RoSA, said: "This is fantastic news for RoSA.

"The funding enables us to continue our vital support for survivors of sexual abuse and violence, regardless of age or gender, across all communities in Warwickshire.

“Taking the step to seek help requires immense bravery and ensuring survivors' access to support whenever they need it stands as our top priority.

"RoSA’s dedication to providing comprehensive and tailored services for survivors remains unwavering.

"Our community-centred approach allows us to extend our reach, providing children, young people and adults the opportunity to seek support whenever the need arises."

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe added: “There can be few crimes more traumatic for victims than sexual violence and abuse, so it is vital that high-quality support is available in Warwickshire to help victims cope and recover, whether or not they report the incident to the police.

“That’s why I wrote to the Government at the end of 2022 when the allocations for the RASASF were being considered to urge Ministers to ensure that funding streams for Warwickshire were not only continued but increased, given the vital nature of these services.

"I know that other partners also raised with ministers the importance of this funding to victims.

“I am therefore delighted to see that these latest awards do in fact represent increases on the previous allocations for Safeline and RoSA.

"This is a significant investment in the support of victims of rape and sexual abuse in Warwickshire and it will make a real difference to the lives of those who need it most.”

The latest RASASF awards come in addition to other funding available by the Police and Crime Commissioner, including the county-wide Sexual Abuse and Violence Support Service commissioned from Safeline and separate funding for the Blue Sky Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Nuneaton.

For more information, visit Safeline at safeline.org.uk, RoSA at rosasupport.org or the Blue Sky Centre at blueskycentre.org.uk