Rape Crisis Midwest forced to close centres due to funding shortfall
The Rape Crisis Midwest is to close two of its centres for a month due to lack of funding.
Centres in Tipperary and Clare will have to close for a month each - while the centre in Limerick will run with a skeleton staff.
Rape Crisis Midwest says it provides face-to-face counselling to around 80 people each week.
"What's happening at the moment in the cuts to funding means that victims of sexual violence are not able to get the support that they really deserve to have," said Director of the RCNI, Fiona Neary.
"It also means that the kind of prevention programmes that should be happening in this country are not happening, and sexual violence that could be prevented won't be."
The group estimates its funding shortfall to be somewhere in the region of €120,000 in the Midwest. They are appealing to the public to help fund the centres through private donations.
Further information can be found at www.rapecrisis.ie.
