TWO charities offering help to survivors of rape and domestic abuse will share £2 million in new Scottish government funding.

Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid have supported more than 27,000 women with counselling and emergency accommodation in the last year, but waiting lists for their support have continued to grow.

Rape Crisis Scotland’s Sandy Brindley welcomed the funding and said that it would “help rape crisis centres across Scotland to continue to provide specialist support to survivors of sexual violence that can be truly lifesaving.”

Marsha Scott, of Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “In this time of rising costs and rising demand, Women’s Aid services in Scotland have never been stretched thinner, and children and women needing support should never have to sit on a waiting list.”

Announcing the funding boost, SNP Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Violence against women and girls is abhorrent, and these front-line services provide much-needed support to victims and survivors.

“We recognise the vital work that women’s aid and rape crisis centres do day in, day out to support women, girls and families.”