Rape Crisis South London, also known as the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC), is an independent organisation based in south London. For over 30 years we have provided a range of specialist and confidential support services dedicated to the healing and empowerment of female survivors of sexual violence.

We are a member centre of Rape Crisis England and Wales, and provide the national Rape Crisis helpline, for women and girls, aged 13 years and over, who have survived any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives, and who live, work or study in England and Wales.

It does not matter how much time has passed between the sexual violence that women and girls experience and picking up the phone to us or walking through our doors. We listen, we believe, and we understand.

In 1985, our service was first set up to offer helpline support to survivors of sexual violence. Since then, we grew into the national Rape Crisis helpline for England and Wales, which, on average receives 1,000 calls per week from both survivors and supporters, including family members, partners, and friends.

The helpline is open every day throughout the year, between 12.00pm-2.30pm and 7.00pm-9.30pm. It provides specialist and confidential emotional and factual support, by women and for women, completely free of charge.

Due to the prevalence of sexual violence in our societies, and the high demand for support, we know that it can be sometimes difficult to get through to the helpline. During COVID-19, the perpetration and impacts of sexual violence have been exacerbated; throughout June 2020, the national Rape crisis helpline saw a 41% increase in demand for the service compared to the same period the year before.

Article 24 of the Istanbul Convention stipulates that there should be 24/7 provision of free, confidential helpline support.

Whilst the UK government provide some funding for the national Rape Crisis helpline, it is not enough to meet the demand for support, and there is currently no 24/7 specialist sexual violence helpline for women and girls in the UK.

If the UK government ratified the Istanbul Convention, they would be required to adequately fund a helpline like ours, ensuring women and girls can access the vital support they deserve, as and when they need it.

We know that the work we do is critical. We live in a society that blames and disbelieves women and girls, and excuses or minimises abusive behaviour – a society rife with myths and misconceptions about what ‘counts’ as sexual violence, and that skew our perception of who is responsible and what the root causes are.

All too often this silences survivors, making it difficult for them to speak out and get support.

It can take a long time, often years, before someone feels able and ready to reach out for support. For many survivors, reaching out to a national helpline like ours is often a first step. Because of the high levels of silence and shame around sexual violence, they need to talk anonymously and in confidence.

Helplines are safe spaces where women and girls can be heard without judgment, and be supported to explore what further options are available to them. As many survivors face multiple barriers and frustratingly long waiting lists to access face-to-face support, the need for 24/7 specialist helpline support becomes more and more important.

Every single woman or girl who has experienced violence and abuse deserves specialist, confidential support that is survivor-centred. This includes telephone support.

The national Rape Crisis helpline can provide such a space where women and girls can be themselves and be accepted as themselves. A space where the very worst violations of women and girls can be spoken about without judgement. A space where hearing an empathetic voice can lead survivors to see their own unique strengths, reconnect with their power, and start to believe in themselves and their futures again.

Take action now:

To find out more about what you can expect when phoning the national Rape Crisis helpline here.

You can also find out more about the support that RASASC provides by watching this video.

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