Sexual Offences: Victim Support Schemes
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support survivors of sexual assault.
Answered by Catherine Atkinson
The Ministry of Justice has committed £550 million to victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date.
The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales receive grant funding from the Ministry of Justice’s victim and witness budget. This includes ‘core’ funding, allocated at the PCCs' discretion based on their assessment of local need, and ring-fenced funding for sexual violence and domestic abuse services. Funds are used to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types, including sexual assault.
The Ministry of Justice also provides grant funding directly to over 60 specialist organisations through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF). Activities support victims to cope with their experiences and move forward with their lives, regardless of whether they report the crime to the police.
The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, also commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, provides victims access to vital help and information whenever they need it.
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