County council faces backlash after funding cuts to Warwickshire sexual abuse survivors’ charity

Safeline has facilities across the county – including offices in Warwick and Stratford – and helps and supports those affected by sexual abuse.

Earlier this month, the CEO of Safeline Neil Henderson was told the £25,000 a year funding from the county council would be coming to an end.

Neil said this move will have “severe consequences” for the people the charity supports.

He said: “Warwickshire County Council informed me that they are stopping funding sexual abuse counselling support, which Safeline currently delivers for them.

“Whilst I understand the pressures on local authorities, they have made a conscious decision to cease supporting some of the most vulnerable and at risk people in our community and this will have severe consequences.

"The contract was worth £25,000, that means that 32 children and young people, that have been sexually abused, will be denied counselling support. Without support, the impact of the abuse will last years.

"Victims/survivors of sexual abuse use health services more than others, they are more likely to kill themselves, be revictimised as adults, under achieve in education and at work and so on.

"It is estimated the lifetime cost of supporting someone abused as a child is £120,000. The cost of each suicide is estimated to be £1,700,000.

“Sexual abuse and its impact is a public health issue and it’s not being adequately addressed in Warwickshire.

"We already have hundreds of victims/survivors on our waiting lists wanting to access support – and a lack of funding prevents them doing so.

"We know there are thousands more across Warwickshire that should be accessing it.

“Funding for Warwickshire victims/survivors is uncertain.

"The Government have still to make decisions on what funding may/may not be made available.

"Constant references to financial blackholes and reduced public spending is creating uncertainty.

"Warwickshire only has one per cent of the national population, if the Government make funding decisions based on population, which it often does, this will reduce current funding by 60 per cent, which would be disastrous for victims/survivors.

“Safeline needs help to ensure our services are adequately funded nationally and locally, so we can support significant numbers of victims/survivors.

"For too long we have been the poor relations in terms of funding. Thousands want support we should all work hard to ensure they get it.”

Two Green party councillors have also hit out against the funding cuts.

Over the past year Warwick District Councillor for Radford Semele Becky Davidson, took part in a 30-week fundraising challenge for Safeline – taking on 30 challenges to mark 30 years of the charity.

These challenges included spending a night in the dungeon at Warwick Castle, attending a council meeting dressed as a banana and getting a tattoo of the Safeline slogan “Believe in You”.

Councillor Davidson and her team raised £9,591 for Safeline.

Shortly after completing the 30-week challenge, Cllr Davidson left the Conservatives for the Green Party.

Responding to the decision of Warwickshire County Council to axe funding to Safeline, Cllr Davidson said: “As a Safeline ambassador I am deeply saddened to hear the county council has decided to terminate funding for Safeline’s sexual abuse counselling support.

"Safeline say that unsupported people who are sexually abused as children are more likely than others to try to kill themselves as adults.

"Warwickshire's suicide rate is already eight per cent higher than England's average. Safeline's support is vital.

“The prevalence of sexual abuse in Warwickshire is huge and there is already a lack of support for survivors.

"The county should be prioritising funding to tackle violence against women, girls, men and boys, not reducing it.

"Sexual abuse is such a taboo topic that it makes it harder to get funding and fundraisers involved.

"The charity slogan, and my tattoo, is 'believe in you', and Warwickshire County Council are essentially saying the opposite with this decision.”

Green Party Councillor for Kenilworth Park Hill, Lara Cron, who was part of the fundraising team which spent the night in the Warwick Castle dungeon added: "Safeline provides an invaluable, and unfortunately essential service for those affected by sexual abuse.

"Beyond delivering free counselling, they offer forensic and medical aid, prevention advice, intervention guidance and professional training.

”I am very disappointed by Warwickshire County Council’s decision to cut funding to the charity because in order to safeguard the most vulnerable people in our community, we must ensure Safeline receives the support it needs to continue its life-changing work."

Responding about the funding cuts, a spokesperson from Warwickshire County Council said: “Warwickshire County Council recognises the importance of services supporting people affected by sexual abuse, which can have long-lasting, significant effects on an individual’s mental and physical health.

“Safeline is a specialist charity that supports victims of sexual abuse for adults, as well as children and young people.

"Although we have previously given £25,000 of funding per annum (since 2017) to Safeline to support the delivery of the service, the current contract is ending on March 31 2025.

“The council is continuing to fund the Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) and the Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ChISVA) service for victims of rape, sexual violence, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation who have been seen at the Blue Sky Centre (Sexual Assault Referral Centre).

"This involves a group of providers, including Safeline.

“We are also aware that Safeline has other sources of funding to support victims in Warwickshire, including from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“For any victims of sexual violence in Warwickshire, please remember that you are not alone and help is available. Sexual abuse is a crime no matter who commits it.

“We therefore encourage anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse to report this through one of the available routes, and to access the help that is available.

"Please visit: https://www.talk2someone.org.uk/ for more information.”