Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to respond to the recent figures released by the Office for National Statistics, which recorded over 29,000 rape cases in the year ending March 2015; and what support is being provided through statutory and voluntary organisations to provide counselling to support the victims and survivors.

The Government has continued its funding commitment until March 2016 to provide support to victims and survivors of rape. This includes £1.72 million to part fund 87 Independent Sexual Violence Adviser posts and £4.4million to fund rape support centres across England and Wales. Reporting of sexual violence is going up and specialised support services to victims and child sexual abuse are experiencing increased demand on their services. In recognition of this, the Home Office and Ministry of Justice announced an additional £7 million in 2014/15 and 2015/16 for non-statutory organisations providing these services as follows:

• £2.15 million as extra funding for 84 existing Rape Support Centres;

• £2 million for a Child Abuse Inquiry Support Fund to better support survivors coming forward as a direct result of the announcement of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; and

• £2.85 million for a Child and Adult Victims of Sexual Abuse Support Fund to help non-statutory organisations providing support across England and Wales meet the increased demand on those services.