Rape Crisis England & Wales said:
“Rape Crisis England & Wales and all our member Rape Crisis Centres understand the real potential for the current situation with COVID-19 to cause anxiety and concern for many, not least of all those processing trauma and living with the impacts of sexual violence and abuse.
Our movement is keeping up to date with and following Government guidance around infection control. Ensuring the health, safety and well-being of our staff, volunteers and the sexual violence and abuse survivors we support is our number one priority.
At the same time, we’re doing all we can to ensure we can continue to provide much-needed services, and are particularly mindful of the increased risk of social isolation and detrimental impacts on mental health of the necessary current social distancing and infection control measures.
The RCEW Live Chat helpline and many local Rape Crisis telephone support, text and email helpline services are currently available as usual. There are also a range of self-help resources available on our website for those who would like them. Please visit our website for details.
Local Rape Crisis Centres are each implementing their own measures to navigate the current situation. In many cases, this will mean face-to-face services increasingly being offered over the phone or online. There is the real possibility some Centres might need to modify, restrict or temporarily suspend some services but will do their best to keep existing service users and the general public informed as the situation evolves.
Whatever happens, we want victims and survivors of rape, child sexual abuse and all forms of sexual violence to know that we are still here and you are not alone.”