Waiting list for sex abuse charity reopens

A North Yorkshire charity which helps victims of sexual abuse has reopened its waiting list after it closed for referrals for nearly a year.

Survive delivers counselling and trauma therapy to about 100 service users each week but has faced issues with "unprecedented" demand and funding.

On Monday, it accepted new referrals for the first time since May 2025 following a cash boost from the Ministry of Justice Rape and Sexual Abuse Services Fund (RASASF).

Mags Godderidge, chief executive officer, said within the first three hours of opening, more than 30 people had come forward to ask for support.

"When we closed the waiting list in May, we had 700 survivors waiting for our service," she explained.

"That meant people were waiting in excess of a year to start their counselling journey, we just couldn't do enough check-in calls with them whilst they were on our waiting list."

However, the funding boost in April would offer some financial "certainty" within the next six to 12 months, according to the CEO.

"We will try and keep the waiting list open for at least two weeks," Godderidge added.

"If we are overwhelmed, we will have to cap the numbers because we don't have enough funds to see the numbers that need our service.

"We're doing our best with what we've got and we will get round to seeing people as quickly as we can."

The Survive CEO said funding was an issue for similar charities across the board.

"Charities like ours all across the country who are sexual violence focused are struggling to keep up with the demand because there's been so much publicity, more people are coming forward, but the funding is not matching that demand," she explained.

"So many agencies like ours have had waiting lists closed, and I'm sad to say that many agencies like ours have actually closed in the last year as well."

The Ministry of Justice funding of £340,297.73 will run for 24 months, from April 2026 to March 2028.

Survive has encouraged those who need to access their services to apply on their website.

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