Womens Aid and Rape Crisis in West Dunbartonshire secure five years of funding

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis services in West Dunbartonshire have welcomed a funding pledge which allows them to develop their support for women and children.

Councillors unanimously approved proposals to maintain funding for the duration of the current administration’s term – providing the longest ever sustained cash guarantee for women’s lifeline services across the area, which has one of the highest rates of domestic abuse in Scotland.Figures last year showed the region has the second worst rate of domestic abuse in Scotland – with Dumbarton District Women’s Aid (DDWA) revealing referrals have spiked by 60 percent.Among those vital services to benefit is DDWA, whose residential facility in Balloch provides emergency accommodation, practical advice and emotional support for women and their children escaping an abusive home environment.The DDWA group and Clydebank Women’s Aid will each receive £167,000 annually until March 2027.This funding is to provide support to women who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse living in temporary accommodation or living in their own homes, as well as supporting women moving to new homes to sustain their tenancies.Liz Mooney, co-manager of DDWA, said: “This is the longest guaranteed funding we have had, and that security means we can now start to look where else we can develop our service.“We are grateful to the council for their commitment to services that support women, children and young people in crisis.”Rape Crisis, which offers outreach support in West Dunbartonshire to women and girls aged 13 and over who have experienced sexual violence, will receive a total of £43,000 annually from HSCP core funding and additional council payments.On Tuesday last week, Councillor