Organisations hit out at Scottish Government
Scotland’s rape crisis centres have issued a warning to the Scottish government for what they call a “negligent disregard for survivors of rape and sexual violence”.
Leaders at Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis, Rape Crisis Ayrshire and Arran, Western Isles Rape Crisis Centre and Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre have penned an open letter to Shona Robison, cabinet secretary for finance and local government, and Shirley-Ann Somerville, cabinet secretary for social justice, called for urgent assurances from the Scottish government that critical funding will be increased in the next Scottish budget in January.
It comes today which marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November).
The longest waiting time for support faced by survivors at any of the centres is currently up to 151 days, which the centres say is because of a crisis in short-term funding.
The letter states that the Scottish government has bold choices to make and must work harder to let women and girls know they are valued, supported, and heard.
Between 2021 and 2024/25, there was a 3% increase in sexual crimes recorded by Police Scotland, and a 13% increase in the City of Glasgow alone. Sexual crimes accounted for 5% of all recorded crime in Scotland last year.
At Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis, which is Scotland’s largest rape crisis centre, demand has grown year-on-year since 2021, where over 3,000 survivors received one-to-one support from trauma informed specialists. During the same period, the centre recorded more than 40,000 contact points - a 42% increase on the previous year.
The latest annual reporting shows that the four centres who have signed the letter delivered 40% of the support to survivors. Thirteen separate centres delivered the remaining 60% of support to survivors.
Speaking on behalf of the rape crisis centres, Claudia Macdonald-Bruce, said: “We are sympathetic to the Scottish government’s financial constraints, but it is a political choice to fund new train stations and IT systems over helping women and girls who have experienced unimaginable brutality and violation to heal from their trauma. It shows an utter, and negligent, disregard for survivors at a time when demand for services continues to rise.
“We remain resolute in our mission to support women and girls, but something has to give. We are asking for commitment to additional funding so we can operate beyond April next year, and secure the longevity of our centre so that we don’t need to turn survivors away.
“For around £500 we can provide our specialist service to one survivor for a whole year. Every £500 we don’t have means we have to turn someone away. Surely the government must see that its political choices, over many years of underinvestment, have brought us to our knees. It’s time to put this right and invest in women and girls, their healing and their futures.”
Writing to Ms Robison, the rape crisis centre leaders say: “Funding has not kept pace with the need for our vital services, resulting in difficult choices and women and girls not being given the help they choose from us, and more critically, deserve.
“The Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund, which supports rape crisis and women’s aid services, has remained effectively static since 2021, and the 12.5% uplift announced in February 2025 was offset by the loss of the temporary Covid-19 recovery funding, leaving many services worse-off in real terms.
“So far, your government has failed to act and women and girls in our service areas are paying the price.
Funding pressures have already had tangible effects: last month, Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis temporarily paused referrals to its Justice Support to Report service due to limited funding, reopening only after securing alternative resources. Other centres are at their own points of crisis.
“When the Scottish Budget is announced on 13 January, there will be just 78 days until the next financial year begins – fewer than the 151 days some survivors must currently wait to access support.
“Without your intervention, waiting lists will extend further into 2025/26, leaving survivors without the support they need and deserve.”
The rape crisis centres called on the Scottish government to deliver an immediate funding uplift in the upcoming Scottish budget to allow rape crisis centres to maintain essential services in the short term and to implement the government’s own recommendations on a review of funding and services so that no woman or girl is ever left unable to access support.
