What is the oral herstory project?
In 2023, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Rape Crisis England & Wales and our partners – Oxford University and the British Library – received funding for an oral herstory project, focused on gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of the movement’s founders and participants.
‘Rape Crisis – exploring the herstories and futures of the movement’ is the first national archive of Rape Crisis oral herstories.
Through just over 140 hours of women’s narratives, it weaves together a diverse array of experiences from women across England and Wales of differing regions, ages, professional backgrounds, racial and ethnic identities – all of whom made and continue to make indelible contributions to our movement.
These stories are due to be deposited in the British Library Sound Archive, one of the largest collections of sound recordings in the world, held as an archive that will be accessible to the public in perpetuity.
Listen to our podcast 'Herstory: 50 Years of Rape Crisis'
Our Herstory podcast traces 50 years of the Rape Crisis movement in England and Wales — as remembered by the women who built, shaped, and lived it.
Founders, staff, volunteers, and survivors come together to share moments, memories, and reflections. What unfolds is not a complete history, but a deeply personal one — a window into the movement’s roots, its evolution, and the futures these women imagine.
This podcast was made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.
🎧 Listen to our podcast
Episode list
🎧 Episode 1: The Dream
In the 1970s and 1980s, a generation of women dared to speak the unspeakable and demanded a better life for women. This episode follows the birth of the Rape Crisis movement in Britain. Founders, volunteers, and current staff reflect on the feminist ideals that drove these women — and the tension between activism and survival as they built a service from scratch, in the face of silence and stigma.
🎧 Episode 2: Along the Way
As the movement matured, so did its internal and external challenges. In this episode, women reflect on the struggle to stay rooted in feminist values while navigating power structures, limited resources, and growing demand. They speak candidly about what true inclusivity means, the emotional toll, and the ongoing pressure of managing long waiting lists.
🎧 Episode 3: Holding the Line
Today, Rape Crisis centres fight for survival amid austerity and competitive tendering. Workers talk about burnout, underfunding, and why survivor-centered care is still worth fighting for — even as efforts to professionalise the service bring both benefits and tensions. The shift away from relying on volunteers — once the backbone of the movement — is felt deeply across the sector.
🎧 Episode 4: What Now?
What’s next? From social enterprises to policy change, women explore new ways to sustain the movement. This episode highlights the role of Rape Crisis England & Wales as the national body working to support member centres and drive structural change — and why ending sexual violence remains the ultimate goal.
Our funder and partners
This project would not have been possible without our funder and partners.
