Last week, we signed a petition for Rape Crisis England and Wales where they are campaigning for political parties to commit to keeping the life-saving Rape Crisis Centres open despite the UK General Election. The Government’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund is a core aspect to the funding of these Centres, but there has been no official commitment from any political party to extend that Funding beyond March 2025 and this puts the future of the Centres at great risk…
The Petition
(facilitated by you.38degrees.org.uk – the full link will be at the end of the
piece) relies upon the sad and worrying statistics and data around rape and
sexual abuse. They mention the fact that 6.5 million women have been raped or
sexually assaulted after the age of 1, that 1 in 6 Children experience sexual
abuse, and that women abused by their partner are seven times more likely to
attempt suicide.
That
last statistic regarding suicide attempts, are one massive reason why Rape
Crisis Centres are so important and beneficial because they can be so
fundamental in providing trauma-informed support for Survivors in England and
Wales. Despite their life-saving impact though, decades of underfunding and the
risk and chance that funding may be completely pulled next year, mean that so
many Centres area facing closure. Rape Crisis are expressing that the desperate
need for adequate, long-term, and sustainable funding can come with any political
party pledging in their manifesto to recommission the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support
Fund from March 2025. Doing this, will provide security for the Centres to
continue providing their much-needed facilities and services.
Shake
My Hand’s Founder; a Survivor of rape and sexual abuse, has actually made four
suicide attempts herself, with two resulting in her being placed on life
support machines in Intensive Care. The first instance of her being on life
support meant that when she was brought out of the coma, she was sectioned
under the 1983 Mental Health Act and transferred to a specialist psychiatric
hospital over 100 miles away from home. Whilst in this hospital, our Founder –
Aimee – went AWOL whilst on unescorted leave and made her fourth attempt. After
she was finally found by Police, she was blue lighted to A&E, and placed in
a coma on life support again; this time for a lot longer as her organs became
unwell.
Aimee’s
attempts
Her
experience, knowledge, and understanding of just how crucial it can be for rape
and sexual abuse Survivors to secure the right help and support, has really
influenced our support and respect for this Petition. So, we’d like to
encourage our own followers to sign it too; it’s a very easy process that will
take a matter of minutes but which has the potential to have such a massive
impact! So, please go visit: Save
Rape Crisis centres from a funding crisis | 38 Degrees
For more information about Rape Crisis
England and Wales:
You can also use this page on their
website to find and locate your nearest Rape Crisis Centre:
Find
your local Rape Crisis centre | Rape Crisis England & Wales