Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Centre has launched a new manifesto urging all political parties to commit to stronger, long-term action to tackle rape and sexual violence across Scotland.
The centre, which supports survivors across Glasgow and Clyde, says demand for help has reached unprecedented levels in recent years. In 2024-25 alone, almost 3,100 survivors received one-to-one support from trauma-informed specialists – around a third of all those supported by Rape Crisis services nationally. The centre also recorded more than 40,000 individual contacts with survivors aged between 13 and 79, representing a 42% rise from the previous year.
Director Claudia Macdonald-Bruce said the organisation was facing huge pressure to meet demand, with staff stretched due to short-term and insecure funding. She said: “The current system simply isn’t sustainable. Survivors deserve consistent, trauma-informed support to help them heal, access justice, and rebuild their lives. It’s time the next Scottish Government made that a priority.”
The centre currently receives £549,483 from the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe Fund and £171,000 from the Victim-Centred Approach Fund to support survivors through the justice system. However, Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis says that despite serving over a fifth of Scotland’s female population and accounting for 15% of the country’s recorded sexual crimes, its share of national funding remains small. The centre estimates it will need an additional £500,000 in 2026-27 to maintain its existing services.
Earlier this month, limited resources forced the centre to temporarily pause referrals to its Justice Support to Report service, which helps survivors through police and court processes. The service reopened after emergency funding was found, but the incident highlights the fragility of current funding arrangements.
The centre has expanded its work into 19 communities across the Glasgow and Clyde area to reach women and girls unable to travel into the city centre due to cost, time, or safety concerns. This outreach model, unique in Scotland, ensures that support is available where survivors need it most, but comes at a significant additional cost.
The manifesto outlines four key priorities:
- Long-term, sustainable funding for all Rape Crisis services
- Collective action to address the root causes of sexual violence
- Improved, trauma-informed responses across Scotland’s public services
- Easier reporting and stronger access to justice for survivors
Ms Macdonald-Bruce added: “We’re working to create a society where women and girls can live free from all forms of sexual violence. We’ve been doing this since 1976, and almost fifty years later, the need for our services has never been greater. Without proper investment, survivors risk being left without the support they deserve.”
Headline image: Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Centre website