More than £500,000 of funding has been handed out to three organisations in Leeds that work closely with women and girls who have suffered rape or sexual abuse.
Basis Yorkshire, Women's Counselling and Therapy Service (WCTS) and Support After Rape & Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL) have each been handed six-figure sums to continue their vital work supporting thousands of women across the city every single year.
The huge cash windfall is part of the latest announcement from the Ministry of Justice and will allow women most at risk in Leeds the chance to access the specialist services completely free of charge.
£150,000 of the total has been awarded to Basis Yorkshire and it comes just as a three-year Comic Relief fund was due to end.
Gemma Scire, chief executive of Basis Yorkshire, said: "We are pleased we will be able to offer this essential service for the next three years, based on our extensive experience of supporting street and indoor sex workers who have experienced rape or sexual abuse we know women particularly value working with an organisation that understands sex workers and the stigma they face when seeking support for sexual violence."
The charity has also become the beneficiary of another grant, from the Tampon Tax fund.
A total of £1 million will help to support Basis Yorkshire and a number of other organisations across the north of England in the STAGE Project.
The multi-year funding will help to ensure women who have been affected by sexual exploitation and grooming can get the support and guidance that they need.
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