CAMPAIGNERS welcomed a £5 million funding announcement today to support women and girls in Scotland who have suffered gender-based violence.

The Scottish government said that significant support will be given to organisations because of the increased demand seen for services during the pandemic.

The bulk of the funding, announced by equalities minister Christina McKelvie, will go to Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland.

The two organisations will share £4.5m to help with their work, with the remaining £500,000 to be split between 12 specialist groups.

Scottish Women’s Aid chief executive Dr Marsha Scott said its workers have experienced a “huge increase in demand for support from survivors of domestic abuse,” adding that the “impact from this is already being felt, as our waiting lists are growing.”

She said: “For us, this is an opportunity to bridge funding between coronavirus emergency funding and a new funding system based on need rather than historical arrangements.”

Rape Crisis Scotland chief executive Sandy Brindley emphasised the importance of specialist services being resourced to be able to provide the support that is often described by survivors as life-saving.

She said: “It is only through a strategic and co-ordinated approach that we will be able to make sure that survivors are able to access the support they deserve at the point of need.”

Announcing details of the cash support, the minister stressed that “violence against women and girls is one of the most devastating and fundamental violations of human rights and is totally unacceptable.”

Ms McKelvie added: “As the need for these services has grown in this most difficult of times, this funding will help survivors and those at risk to access specialist support when they need it most.”