Commenting on today's announcement by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that new funding will be made available for sexual assault referral centres, Dr Katherine Rake, Director of the Fawcett Society, said:

'The proposed increase in the number of sexual assault referral centres is a positive step forward for rape victims. These centres provide vital services for women at a time of crisis, and can increase the chances of a conviction in rape cases.

'However, at the same time the Government is failing rape victims by not investing in rape crisis centres. Rape crisis centres provide vital long-term support for women who have been the victims of rape, yet up to half of rape crisis centres in England and Wales are currently at risk of closing due to a lack of funding.

'If the Government wants to make real progress in developing services for rape victims, they should invest money in developing a well funded national network of rape crisis centres, to operate alongside sexual assault referral centres, as part of a broader cross-governmental strategy to tackle all forms of violence against women.'

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