Rape survivors cannot access support needed due to lack of funding, MSPs told

Survivors of rape “do not have the support they need” to access the justice system without extra Scottish Government funding, MSPs have been warned.

The Criminal Justice Committee met on Wednesday as part of its work to explore how effectively the justice system responds to domestic abuse.

Nicola Love, external affairs manager at Rape Crisis Scotland, was asked by committee convener David Linden about Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis centre’s request for an extra £500,000 in 2026-27 to maintain current service levels.

Mr Linden asked if this was an accurate financial picture across the service nationally.

Ms Love said: “I think in 2022 we estimated in consultation with all the local delivery partners, which included Glasgow and Clyde, that we would need about £3.5 million to provide service at current demand levels.

“That was in 2022. The government said okay, you can have £2 million. So we were kind of operating at around 60% funding from that point.

“If you’re looking at services, whether it be Glasgow or the rest of Scotland, that have only faced increased demand since then, then yeah it’s really obvious there’s not enough there.”

Mr Linden asked what the consequences would be if Rape Crisis Scotland does not receive support.

Ms Love said: “Survivors do not have the support that they need to access the justice system, and that these services are not even really able to kind of market themselves to help more people that they might have otherwise helped because they’re struggling.

“They’re having to turn away people who are already referring themselves, and so we’re kind of stuck where survivors are not able to access support when they need it.”

The committee also looked at the justice response to domestic abuse.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs was asked whether the force has enough resources for following up breaches of bail.

He said while the chief constable expressed efficiencies across the force, “the complexity and volume of demands that were now being placed on policing meant that we were under significant strain”.

He continued: “Last year, our (funding) bid to Scottish Government had been that not only would we have protection against inflation rises, but that would also increase our headcount above a number that had become 16,500.

“We were grateful for the protection in the budget, but unfortunately we didn’t secure all of that additional resourcing.”

Mr Mairs said further investment is “critical”.

He told the committee: “The holistic picture is there’s more that we can do to support our colleagues, and we will ultimately put an evidence-based argument to Scottish Government for investment.

“What I’m keen to do, though, is avoid turning it into kind of a Hunger Games with the likes of the third sector, the Crown, and others. This is a whole-system approach, and investment across the system is critical.”

Responding to evidence from Rape Crisis Scotland to the committee, Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis director Claudia Macdonald-Bruce said: “Almost a year ago to the day, we issued an urgent appeal for funding to keep our services open and ensure women traumatised by rape and sexual violence could access the specialist support they desperately need.

“Almost a year on, we are having to say it all over again. Enough is enough.

“The First Minister has pledged support. Now those words must be matched with the funding needed to deliver it.

“The Scottish Rape Crisis Alliance estimates that £875,000 is needed across its centres through to 2028 to prevent waiting lists from growing. £500,000 of that is needed by Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis alone to maintain current services.

“The Scottish Government knows that funding certainty is urgently needed, with services facing decisions about their capacity and ability to continue supporting survivors.

“It speaks volumes about the level of care and dignity currently being afforded to women and girls who have experienced rape and sexual violence, not only in Glasgow but across Scotland.

“Survivors deserve better. They deserve access to specialist support when they need it, wherever they live in Scotland.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting specialist services that provide vital support to victims and survivors.

“The programme for government commits to providing emergency funding to those organisations under significant pressure, including rape crisis centres providing justice advocacy who have closed their waiting lists for that form of support.

“We will also enhance arrangements for the delivering equally safe fund, which benefited from a 5% increase in 2026-27 and a two-year, multi-funding agreement, and will develop a new multi-year fund to ensure vital services are sustainable and can respond flexibly to need.”