Rape Crisis Scotland

How much do you know about our work at Rape Crisis Scotland? We're often known for our national helpline, but our work extends beyond providing support. We aim to transform attitudes, improve responses and ultimately end rape and sexual violence in all its forms. For more information on the work we do, visit our website at the link in bio.

📢 Our colleagues @rasashighland have been on @bbcradioscot 's Drivetime to talk about the challenges facing survivors in the Highlands and their incredible outreach work which works hard to ensure that people have access to support within their own community. 🔗Click the link in our bio to listen or to read more.

Campaigners and women’s organisations are calling for social media companies to be held legally accountable for threats of violence against women on their platforms. The calls follow a Ferret investigation which documented the experiences of women supporting refugees in Scotland who say they were subjected to abuse, harassment and threats linked to anti-asylum protests. Fourteen women spoke to us, describing both in-person intimidation and sustained online targeting. Groups including Women Against the Far Right Scotland (@womenagainstfarrightscotland ), the STUC women’s committee (@scottishtuc ) and Rape Crisis Scotland (@rapecrisisscot ) argue that current responses from tech platforms are insufficient. They have raised concerns about moderation practices, algorithmic amplification of harmful content and the lack of legal accountability for platforms where threats occur. Comment ‘far right’ to receive the full article in your DMs, or head to the link in our bio to read the full piece.

You might have seen media coverage or social media points about a so-called online 'rape academy' - click the link in our bio to read our full statement. We appreciate this news cycle will be triggering for some survivors and want to remind you that our helpline is open for anyone who needs support. 💜

This International Women's Day, we pay tribute to all of the incredible women who work or volunteer for the Rape Crisis movement in Scotland. This movement began with a handful of women who 'wanted to do something' and now there are services providing specialist support to survivors all across Scotland. 💜

🫂 Do you have time to listen? Rape Crisis Scotland is looking for new volunteers for its national helpline. If you're based near Glasgow, have awareness of issues around sexual violence and have the time and energy to commit, we want to hear from you. Come along to one of our online information sessions on Thursday March 12th or Friday March 13th to find out more. Link in bio for full details and to register your interest.

⚖️New sentencing guidelines for rape come into effect today. The Scottish Sentencing Council has increased the minimum recommended prison term for people convicted of rape. Survivors must have confidence in the system to protect them and offer a sense of justice, and these updated guidelines are a step in the right direction. More details at link in bio.

🗳️ What do the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections have in store for women's equality? Come along to this online hustings from 7pm on 30th March where representatives from the major political parties will take part to answer your questions on the issues impacting women in Scotland. Hosted by national women's organisations and campaign groups and chaired by award-winning journalist Tasnim Nazeer, the hustings is your chance to find out what commitments parties are making for women's rights and equality. Booking is open now and spaces are limited, get your tickets here. Link in bio.

The festive period can be difficult. If you want to talk, we're here. Our helpline will be open every night from 5pm until midnight over the festive period, except for December 25th (5pm-11pm) and December 31st (5pm to 11pm). ☎️ 08088 01 03 02 📱 07537 410 027* ✉️ [email protected] 💬 .uk [webchat] *our text number will appear on an itemised phone bill

We were delighted to join @wrasac and other incredible local organisations, survivors, and supporters on the streets of Dundee tonight for a #ReclaimTheNight march. As well as the annual walk through the city, we heard powerful and moving speeches from a range of incredible people - from high school pupils making their voices heard in their schools, to survivors bravely sharing their experiences and talking about the importance of lifeline services. #16Days

📢 The two-child cap and the rape clause will be scrapped next year. In July, the Scottish Government announced plans to effectively end the cap in Scotland by providing additional payments to families with more than two children. And this week, the UK Government announced that it would remove the two-child limit across the UK and, with it, the rape clause that so many of us have fought against for a decade now. We welcome this decision which, while desperately overdue, will help families who have been pushed further into poverty. Crucially, it also means that no mother will have to prove she has been raped in order to access vital support. It's about time.

The latest crime statistics in Scotland were published today. The story has been the same over the past few years; most other crime types are going down, but the number of reported rapes and sexual offences are rising. Today we learned that the number of reported rape and attempted rape have increased by 11% compared to this time last year, and by 25% over the past four years. This is a really disturbing rise. Whenever a report like this is published, we always get a flurry of media requests asking us what these latest figures mean and what can be done to stop it. Here’s the short answer: we think Scotland needs to do much more to tackle to tackle rape and sexual violence *before* it happens. That means investing in prevention work, so that every young person in Scotland has access to education about consent and healthy relationships. Today also marks the start of #16Days of Activism, a global movement which raises awareness of gender-based violence. We’ll be using that time to talk about our new campaign on prevention, and why this work is absolutely crucial if we want to eradicate rape and sexual violence in Scotland and beyond.