Life-line for rape crisis centre

By Hannah Seaman

The rape crisis centre in Barnsley which was facing closure is finally able to celebrate its 20th anniversary after securing emergency funding from the government.

Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline will receive £48,000.00 of the £705,000 announced nationally. Nineteen other centres in England and Wales will also benefit.

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, announced the fund back in March 2008. But the money will only keep the centres open until March 2009.

Dr Nicole Westmarland, Chair of Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: "Thanks to the emergency fund, 2008 has been the first year that no rape crisis centre has closed. It is our hope that this is a turning point, but for this to be the case we need urgent discussions to take place about what will happen from March 2009."

Katie Russell, 27, Development Worker at BSARCH and Yorkshire & Humber Representative for Rape Crisis England & Wales, said that they were very relieved to secure funding and without it they would have been in dire straights.

She said “We would have had to make staff redundant and wind down some of our services. But our future still remains uncertain and funding continues to be a problem.”

Last week Shadow Minister for Women, Theresa May MP, visited BSARCH at its new offices at Voluntary Action Barnsley in the town centre. She has continually raised the plight of rape crisis centres in the House of Commons.

She said: “The establishment of the one-year emergency fund is a welcome step, but it is frankly ridiculous for services as important as Rape Crisis centres to be living from hand to mouth each month.”

A recent report, by the Women's Resource Centre & Rape Crisis (England & Wales), revealed that more and more centres are closing. It said that in 1984 there were 68 centres in England and Wales but today only 38 remain. Nine have closed in the last five years.

BSARCH is a voluntary organisation and is responsible for its own funding. It relies on a team of four paid workers and 27 trained volunteers who provide free, confidential, counselling to females who are victims of sexual violence. Its helpline handles 500 calls per year and 120-150 women per year attend face to face counselling.

Miss Russell said: “Using local population figures and published research, we estimate there are around 22,560 women living in the Barnsley area who could benefit from our services.”

The funding will allow BSARCH to continue its existing services and to pilot weekly meetings for young women who have suffered sexual abuse.

Miss Russell said that there is still a lot of stigma around sexual violence and people are often reluctant to come forward and talk.

For the last six years BSARCH has received grants from the Big Lottery Fund and it has recently reapplied to them for £500,000 over the next four years. It receives £5,000 per year from Barnsley Borough Council.

For further information visit www.bsarch.org. Or if you are victim of sexual violence call their emergency helpline on 01226 298560.