Victims Services Funding Proposal Paper Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence

Purpose: To set out Ministry of Justice proposals for the currently uncommitted funding for sexual and domestic violence services in 2014/15. Timing: omments on these proposals are !elcomed "y 12 #ec 201$.

Responses and Queries: victimservicescommissioning%&ustice.gsi.gov.u' Context The Ministry of Justice committed funding in relation to #omestic (iolence and )exual (iolence in the consultation and response *+etting it right for victims and !itnesses, in 2012 in t!o specific areasa. funding for rape support as one of the national funding streams/ and ". that a proportion of the additional revenue that !ill "e raised from offenders "e allocated to #omestic (iolence/)exual (iolence services. The 0ome 1ffice have agreed national funding for #omestic (iolence and )exual (iolence services until the end of March 2015. #ecisions a"out the level of this 0ome 1ffice funding from 2015/12 on!ards and the future nationally commissioned/3 commissioned split are yet to "e made Rape Support Fund Current Funding Round 4unding for rape support !as one of the national funding streams identified in the consultation and response *+etting it right for victims and !itnesses, in 2012. 5n line !ith this commitment a 6ape )upport 4und competition is currently running !ith a closing date for "ids of 27 8ovem"er 201$. +rants a!arded through this competition !ill commence under the ne! arrangements from 9pril 2014. These grants are for existing centres and for services delivered to !omen and girls over the age of 1$. 4urther information on the grant competition can "e found on ontracts 4inderhttps-//online.contractsfinder."usinesslin'.gov.u'/ ommon/(ie!:203ipeline :208otice.aspx;site<1000=lang<en=8otice5d<11$0$10 1r "y contacting the 6ape )upport Mail"ox at rapesupport%&ustice.gsi.gov.u' Funding for two new centres 5n addition to the funding for existing centres !e intend to meet the coalition commitment of opening 15 ne! centres "y providing funding to esta"lish a further t!o ne! centres. >e plan to engage !ith the sector and 3olice and rime ommissioners on potential locations for these t!o ne! centres during 2014.

Additional revenue for Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence services The consultation *+etting it 6ight for (ictims and >itnesses, committed to a proportion of the additional revenue from offenders "eing allocated to #(/)( services. 1ur assessment is that this should "e up to ?2m of the additional revenue annually@ su"&ect to potential receipts. To align !ith 0ome 1ffice funding and in response to the assessment !or' !e have underta'en to date@ !e intend to allocate this money for 14/15 via three different funding strands. The first t!o are proposals for national funding strands. The third sets out a proposal for either a national fund or for additional money to "e provided to 3 s for locally commissioned services. >e recognise that this is an area of interest for many of you and !ould therefore !elcome your vie!s on the proposed themes for this funding/ and the option for the third strand of this funding to "e provided to 3

s for

additional locally commissioned services. 9longside 0ome 1ffice colleagues !e are also 'een to &ointly engage !ith you next year on the future split of these funding streams "eyond 9pril 2015 in terms of !hether they are nationally commissioned or locally commissioned via 3 s. Proposed themes for funding strands 1. Male (ictims of 6ape and )exual (iolence >e propose to esta"lish a nationally commissioned male rape support fund. >e are currently commissioning services for !omen and girls over the age of 1$ !ho have suffered rape and sexual violence through the 6ape )upport 4und Asee a"ove.. >e also currently fund a small num"er of male services via the (ictim and >itness +eneral 4und !hich is "eing extended to the end of )eptem"er 2014 "efore the transition to locally commissioned support services on 1 1cto"er 2014. >e propose that a national competition should run in 2014 and a male rape support fund should commence in 1cto"er 2014 and should operate alongside the 6ape )upport 4und as an ongoing national funding stream. >e expect that this fund !ill "e "roadly in the region of ?500'. 2. apacity "uilding in the voluntary sector for advocacy services for victims of sexual violence Ae.g. 5)(9s. >e propose to fund service providers to deliver additional training to develop the s'ills of the voluntary sector@ in particular those !ho provide advocacy support to victims of violence against !omen and girls A5)(9s.. 5n colla"oration !ith 0ome 1ffice colleagues !e have identified a need to invest at a national level in developing the s'ills and capacity of advocacy

services for victims of sexual violence Ae.g. 5)(9s or Boung 3eopleCs 9dvocates. to provide a more effective and professional service to victims. 1ur proposal !ould involve tendering for suita"le service providers to deliver additional training during 2014/15 focusing on 'no!ledge of the court process and support at court. $. Meeting existing service gaps in areas of identified need@ including victims of child sexual a"use@ exploitation and traffic'ing and other specialist areas >e propose that a proportion of the funding should "e used to fill existing gaps in service provision for victims of sexual and domestic violence. There are t!o options for this strand of fundinga. This money could form an additional oneDyear national funding strand. This !ould "e "eneficial in meeting needs that may not "e of a sufficient volume !hen disaggregated to a local level to "e supported "y local commissioning. (ia this strand !e !ould specifically loo' to fund services !here there is currently a particularly high demand or !here existing service gaps have "een identified Afor example@ through national sta'eholder groups.. 4ollo!ing the recent increase in child sexual a"use and exploitation cases organisations are reporting an unprecedented surge in the demand for their support and counselling services. >e propose that part of this fund !ould "e aimed at support for victims Aand survivors. of child sexual exploitation@ a"use and traffic'ing. This !ould "e aligned to "oth the #epartment for EducationCs responsi"ility for children and the !or' the 0ome 1ffice is doing as part of its 8ational +roup on )exual (iolence against hildren and (ulnera"le 3eople A)(9 (.. 4ollo!ing feed"ac' from sta'eholders@ !e !ould also suggest funding is allocated to organisations !ho support victims in other specialist areas !here gaps exist such as Flac' Minority Ethnic 6efugee group services@ e.g. support for victims of 4emale +enital Mutilation or forced marriage. 5f this option is ta'en for!ard@ the fund !ould "e allocated via a national competition for "ids from providers of children services@ sexual and domestic violence services A!ith "ids !elcomed !hich are endorsed "y 3 s.. ". This money could form an addition to the 3 grants for 14/15 for local service commissioning. This !ould allo! the allocation of funding to have a strong fit !ith local needs and priorities. 5f this option !as ta'en for!ard@ the money !ould not "e a"le to "e ringD fenced "ut !ould "e additional to funding already allocated to 3 s. This !ould "e consistent !ith 3 s already ta'ing over the money previously allocated via the (ictim and >itness +eneral 4und@ of !hich a large

proportion is currently spend on services for victims of domestic and sexual violence.