Sexual violence charity wins £400k grant

Safeline's services include counselling, helplines and advocacy

A charity that supports sexual violence survivors has won a £415,000 grant, as part of the government’s efforts to tackle suicide.

Safeline, based in Warwick, provides counselling and helplines for survivors.

“At long last, people recognise that sexual violence is one of the main issues that people, unfortunately, decide to take their lives,” said Safeline’s chief executive Neil Henderson.

Smaller government grants were also provisionally announced for groups such as South Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind, Wolverhampton Suicide Prevention Stakeholder Forum, Warwick University and Birmingham Irish Association.

The government announced the £10m package on Monday, benefitting 79 charities across England that work on preventing suicide.

Chief executive Neil Henderson said the charity was proud of what it had achieved for Warwickshire's residents

“If you’ve been sexually abused, you’re three times more likely to commit suicide,” Mr Henderson said.

“That makes the people that Safeline supports some of the most at-risk people in our communities.”

The charity’s services include a helpline for survivors in Coventry and Warwickshire, as well as a national helpline for male survivors.

Mr Henderson said the grant would be spent on boosting the charity’s counselling services, its male survivors’ helpline, and its early-intervention work with children.

“We’re absolutely over the moon,” he said of winning the grant.

“We’re so proud of what we have achieved for people in Warwickshire.”