Labour MP Charlotte Nichols Urges Government Action on Sexual Abuse Support Funding
Labour MP Charlotte Nichols has made a powerful plea for increased government funding for sexual abuse support services, revealing that such services "saved her life" after she was raped following an event she attended as an MP. The Warrington North parliamentarian had to wait nearly three years for a trial, highlighting the critical need for accessible support for victims.
"Completely Essential" Services Under Severe Strain
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Ms Nichols described specialist support services as "completely essential," crediting her independent sexual violence adviser with helping her navigate the traumatic journey to trial. "I couldn't have made it all the way to trial without the support of my own independent sexual violence adviser who I think it's fair to say, saved my life," she stated.
The MP emphasized that she is personally aware of the issue, noting significant funding pressures for services supporting both adult survivors in her constituency and specialist support for victims under 18, which she described as severely lacking.
Charity Reports Dire Situation with 14,000 on Waiting Lists
Ms Nichols' intervention comes as Rape Crisis, a charity offering specialist services across the country, reported that 14,000 victims are currently on their waiting lists. In the last year alone, three of its centres have been forced to shut down, while another two-thirds risk having to cut vital services.
Maxime Rowson, the charity's head of policy and public affairs, described the situation as "dire," revealing that centres faced a "cliff edge" just before Christmas where they would have had to issue redundancy notices without confirmation of Ministry of Justice funding. The Ministry has since confirmed £21.3 million in funding for 2026/27.
Victims Turned Away at Their Most Vulnerable
For those being turned away from services, Ms Nichols said she "can't imagine anything more destabilising at a time when you are at your most vulnerable." This reality is exemplified by Eve Gooder, 19, who attempted to seek help last year after being sexually abused online as a child more than a decade ago.
After being rejected from four different under-resourced sexual abuse support centres, Ms Gooder questioned her decision to reach out. "It was a feeling that maybe I should have just kept it inside, or maybe I should have just not told anyone," she told The Independent. Disappointed and disheartened, she has launched a petition calling for more government funding.
National Emergency Declared by Service Providers
Victims' Commissioner Claire Waxman emphasized that victim services are "a lifeline for those recovering from trauma and navigating a justice system facing unprecedented delays." She warned these services are "under immense strain - oversubscribed, underfunded, and in some areas forced to turn victims away when they need help the most."
Lorri Weaving, chief executive of SARSAS which supports survivors across Avon and Somerset, declared the situation "a national emergency." The service receives around 150 referrals each month, with many services having waitlists exceeding two years. "We know that some survivors may not come forward or continue with support because of these delays," she acknowledged.
Record Sexual Offences and Inadequate Funding Response
Police recorded a record high of 209,079 sexual offences in the year ending March 2025, representing an 11% increase. More than half of this increase can be attributed to new sexual offences introduced in the Online Safety Act 2023.
Despite this rising demand, Daisy Anderson, chief executive of the Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Guildford, described her centre as "massively oversubscribed and underfunded." She criticized the government's approach, noting that "the estimated cost of sexual violence to the economy in the UK reaches hundreds of billions, and yet, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund, in its entirety for all of England and Wales, for 2026/7 is £21.3 million."
Short-Term Relief Fails to Address Systemic Issues
Lee Eggleston from specialist service Synergy East said the government's December funding announcement provided "relief" but only sustained existing services rather than matching rising demand or real costs. "Centres are still caught in a revolving door of competitive procurement, applying for oversubscribed and shrinking grants just to keep core services running," he explained.
Ms Rowson added that funders are asking centres to "cut to the bone the support that they offer" to serve as many people as possible, sacrificing the intensive support many victims need. She also reported that police and crime commissioners are telling centres they shouldn't have waiting lists without providing additional funding or understanding of the issues.
The consistent message from survivors, service providers, and advocates is clear: a long-term, cross-government approach to funding that matches demand is urgently needed to provide sustainable, timely support for sexual abuse survivors across the country.
