RAPE CRISIS CENTRE MUST BE FUNDED BY ASSEMBLY SAY GREEN PARTY

THE Green Party has called on the Assembly to find funding to support the Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Centre in Belfast.

Two years ago the Centre had it’s funding cut, but despite this set back has continued to operate, surviving on donations from the general public and small fundraising events organised by supporters.

Green Party Co-Chair Kelly Andrews said: “Amnesty International has already highlighted th fact that there are no funded support services for rape victims anywhere in Northern Ireland.e What does that say about our community? It says if you get raped tough, we do not view it as a problem? This attitude is simply wrong.”

The Centre, which needs £100,000 per annum to operate, claims to save the National Health Service thousands of pounds yearly by helping survivors of rape who have to overcome a wide range of issue including the use of anti-depressants and the abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Mrs. Andrews said: “Northern Ireland cannot call itself a progressive or considerate place to live until such time as it has adequate support for rape survivors. If this situation is allowed to continue our society will suffer in the long term because we chose to ignore people in desperate need of help.”