Scotland's largest rape crisis centre says funding 'insufficient' to tackle scale of sexual violence

Scotland’s largest rape crisis centre has warned current funding levels are “insufficent” to meet growing demand for its services amid a rise in cases of sexual violence.

The Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre said demand for support has increased year-on-year since 2021, but claimed funding has remained “short-term, insecure, and insufficient to meet the scale of need”.

As a result, the centre has launched a manifesto calling on politicians to commit to meeting four urgent demands to end the crisis of rape and sexual violence in Scotland and strengthen support for survivors.

It calls for long-term, sustainable funding for all Rape Crisis services, action to tackle the root causes of sexual violence, improved, trauma-informed responses for survivors across Scotland, and simplified reporting and stronger access to justice.

“It’s time that the next Scottish Government redefined its approach to supporting survivors of rape and sexual violence,” said Claudia Macdonald-Bruce, director of Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis.

“We need all political parties to commit to the four urgent demands set out in our manifesto. Every woman and every girl who has experienced rape or sexual violence must have access to the help she needs to secure emotional and physical support, and the justice she deserves.”

Last year the centre recorded more than 40,000 contact points with survivors (a 42% increase from the previous year) and nearly 3,100 women and girls received one-to-one support from trauma specialists – almost one in three survivors nationally.

Rising demand is in line with an increase in the number of reported sexual crimes in Scotland, with a 3% rise reported across the country as a whole, and a 13% rise in the city of Glasgow.

But funding is not keeping pace.

The centre said pressures have “already had tangible effects” as referrals to the Justice Support to Report service were paused in early October due to limited funding until alternatives could be secured.

The Glasgow and Clyde Centre was allocated £549,483 from the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe Fund, plus £171,000 from the Victim-Centred Approach Fund to deliver advocacy support to survivors in the justice system for 2025-26.

Ms Macdonald-Bruce said to continue providing its current support and advocacy services, the centre needs an additional £500,000 next year across both funds.

“Thousands of women and girls rely on services like ours every year, yet funding remains short-term, insecure, and insufficient to meet the scale of need,” Macdonald-Bruce said.

“The current system simply isn’t sustainable. Survivors deserve consistent, trauma-informed support to help them heal, access justice, and rebuild their lives and it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure those services are properly resourced.”

Scottish equalities minister Kaukab Stewart said: “We remain steadfast in our commitment to preventing and eradicating all violence against women and girls and addressing the underlying attitudes and systems that perpetuate it.

“We announced a £2.4m uplift to the Delivering Equally Safe Fund for 2025-26, to allow all fund recipients to continue the vital work they undertake to prevent violence and support survivors, bringing the total investment to £21.6m for 2025-26.

“The Victim Centred Approach Fund now forms part of the Scottish Government Fairer Funding pilot, and will provide £32m to 23 organisations between 2025-2027, including £12m for specialist advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence.

“Ministers are considering funding decisions beyond March 2026 and we expect confirmation of funding to be made as part of the Scottish Budget process.”