Broken Rainbow, the UK's national LGBT domestic violence helpline is facing closure. The service that is a crucial lifeline for thousands of LGBT people experiencing domestic violence and abuse is coming to the end of its main funding stream in March 2015 and has had no clear confirmation from the Home Office whether it will be extended for another year.
Broken Rainbow is the UK's national Domestic Violence Helpline for the LGBT Community, offering help, advice and support to Victims, Survivors and Perpetrators of domestic violence.
We support over 5000 individuals every year. if the service were to close there would be nowhere else for these individuals to go. Many generic services are not equipped to deal with the complex issues that LGBT folk have to deal with when experiencing domestic violence. The helpline is literally a lifeline for many people.
Government cuts on domestic violence services have a huge part to play. Currently almost as many calls meet an engaged tone as a helpline worker because we only have enough funding for one person to answer calls at any time. Often callers are disclosing their abuse for the first time.
The organisation has published a petition on the campaigning website 'Care2' as follows:
Dear Home Secretary,
Broken Rainbow UK provides a vital and unique service for victims, survivors and perpetrators of Domestic Violence.
LGBT service provision is almost non existent within the Domestic Violence Sector and many vulnerable LGBT people are left in high risk situations. They are reliant on the services that Broken Rainbow provides, without them at the end of the phone many members of the community will be left isolated and likely to be victims of repeat abuse.
It is not uncommon for LGBT people to experience secondary levels of discrimination from statutory services and that is why it is vital that bespoke LGBT services are available for them to use.
We we demand that the funding for Broken Rainbow continues.
The petition allows suppoters to add their own wording and urges people to sign saying "If enough people sign, we will show the Home Office that this service needs funding and must continue."
You can sign the petition here
Source: Care2 Petitions / Broken Rainbow
