Rape Crisis workers helped fewer women and girls in the Bradford district last year because of a funding shortfall.

Over the last four years Bradford Rape Crisis counselling and information service has seen its annual funding drop by a third, from £96,000 to just over £61,000.

Last year its five-strong team of volunteers and five part-time workers helped 200 individuals, fielded 1,330 telephone calls and conducted 328 face-to-face counselling sessions.

During the previous 12 months the service helped almost 250 women, handled more than 1,800 calls and carried out almost 350 counselling sessions.

Monica, a rape crisis worker, explained: "We dealt with fewer women and girls last year and that's basically down to a lack of money. Counsellors' hours were temporarily reduced, which meant we weren't able to reach the same amount of women. As it is we rely heavily on a telephone answer machine. The service is very much tailored to individual needs. Some women are in contact with counsellors for six weeks - others for 30, 40 or even 50 weeks."

A large chunk of funding comes from Bradford Council. It has offered vital support to the centre with regular grants, but a growing caseload is continuing to push costs up.

The service has also recently taken on the work of the CASSA project (Counselling and Advice for Survivors of Sexual Abuse) which folded because of a lack of funding.

Although the figures make for disappointing reading, a spokeswoman for Rape Crisis says the service is in a much healthier position than it was 12 months ago.

She said: "Things could always be better on the financial front, but we are surviving and things are definitely looking up.

"We've recently been awarded a £5,000 grant from the Camelot Foundation and continue to receive funding from the Council, Health Authority, Home Office and Charities Aid Foundation.

"Added to donations and money raised by benefit events this year's total should reach the £70,000 mark. Our ultimate aim is to pass £100,000 - that would ensure a six-strong team of paid workers and an improved staffing of the rape counselling telephone line."

This year the service has been able to provide an extra project officer aimed at helping black and Asian women - a post that had to be scrapped 12 months ago - thanks to funding from the Council's joint finance budget and Bradford Health Trust.

And the service is considering whether or not to table a fourth application to the National Lottery.

l Bradford Rape Crisis offers support and information to rape survivors. Counsellors can be contacted in the strictest of confidence on Bradford 308270.

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