Labour MP Jess Asato has welcomed an £8.7 million government commitment to continue and expand the free 24-hour Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.
The funding will support the service run by Rape Crisis England & Wales, ensuring survivors of rape and sexual abuse can continue to access confidential specialist support at any time of the day or night.
Asato, the Labour MP for Lowestoft, said she was “delighted” by the Government’s decision.
Writing on X, she said:
“I am delighted that the Government have today committed £8.7 million to continue and expand Rape Crisis England & Wales’s vital free Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.”
The investment will help secure the future of a service designed to ensure survivors can access support when they need it, rather than being restricted to conventional working hours.
The national support line provides confidential assistance to people aged 16 and over who have experienced sexual violence or abuse at any point in their lives. It also provides support and information for people concerned about someone who has experienced sexual violence.
The £8.7 million commitment will allow the service to continue operating around the clock while supporting its expansion to meet demand.
The announcement forms part of the Labour Government’s wider work to strengthen support for victims and survivors of violence against women and girls and improve access to specialist services.
For organisations working with survivors, long-term and reliable funding is particularly important because of the specialist nature of the support required and the need to ensure help remains available whenever somebody feels able to seek it.
Asato’s intervention highlights the importance Labour MPs are placing on ensuring survivors have access to specialist support alongside wider government efforts to tackle sexual violence and improve the response of the criminal justice system.
The Government’s £8.7 million investment means the free service will continue to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing survivors with a route to confidential support regardless of when they need it.
