More than 100 local councils across the UK are being threatened with legal action for failing to provide specialist support for victims of sexual violence but the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who are bringing the action, have been called "irresponsible" by the LGA (Local Government Association)
Chair of the Equality Commission, Trevor Phillips says,
"In many parts of the country services for women who have experienced violence are chronically under-funded or simply do not exist.
"Women shouldn’t be subjected to this postcode lottery… for those councils who continue to ignore the dire need to shore up services and plug the gaps we have a stark reminder: the commission is ready and willing to use its enforcement powers."
Every year in Britain, three million women will become victims of rape or another form of sexual violence and the support for them has to be specialist and immediately available for those women to stand any chance of recovery. But the funding for and provision of suitable support services, such as Rape Crisis centres, is woefully inadequate and shockingly patchy.
Research indicates that the best levels of provision per head is to be found in Bradford, while the lowest level is across the south east of England. Glasgow has the best provision found in the whole if Britain, and that is attributed to the fact that Glasgow officials have made Women’s safety a top priority.
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