Media release for immediate release

15.12.15

Social Services Select Committee report gives no security to specialist services

The Social Services Select Committee released a report on Friday on the 2013 inquiry into funding for sexual violence services.

Sexual Abuse Prevention Network is pleased to see that primary, secondary and tertiary prevention initiatives are recognized in the report as necessary to end sexual violence. “We support the recommendation that the Government develops a national violence prevention framework and action plan that would include sexual violence as a major feature” says General Manager, Fiona McNamara.

However, Sexual Abuse Prevention Network notes that the report gives no indication of how the sector will be supported in the immediate future. “We understand that it will take some time to develop a long-term action plan. As a sector we need some stability in the short term as well as the long term. Currently we have no guaranteed funding for our prevention services beyond June 2016” says McNamara.

“It is disappointing to see little acknowledgement of the work that the specialist sexual violence sector is currently doing to prevent sexual violence. There are a number of effective initiatives happening throughout the country that are led by the sector and it would be reassuring to see a recommendation that the Government supports these.”

Sexual Abuse Prevention Network is a collaboration of Wellington Rape Crisis, Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation and WellStop. The network delivers primary prevention programmes for rape and sexual abuse in a number of secondary schools in the Wellington Region as well as offering professional development training to professionals working with young people throughout the country.

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