The Lincolnshire Echo is spearheading a campaign to set up a new rape crisis centre.

A £70,000 grant is required from central government to establish the centre which will offer emotional support, forensic tests and medical treatment for victims of sexual assault and rape.

The Echo’s Action on Rape campaign has the backing of local police but Echo editor Jon Grubb said the paper was struggling to get the local health trust on board too.

He said: “While the police said they are happy to fund it, the primary care trust said they cannot afford it.

“The running costs are £35,000 per year so the PCT are looking at a section of that £35,000. It’s peanuts.

“But they seem unable to provide us with an answer why they cannot commit.

“Until you can commit to providing the on-going costs, you are not going to get the funding from the government.

“The police are supporting it – they believe it’s the right thing to do.

“Generally speaking the PCT has not said ‘we’re against it’ but they won’t commit to it.

“In terms of cost, the PCT can afford it out of its own money. They have got £940m (annual budget).

“The Government will part-fund the set up costs but thereafter the running costs have to be funded by local agencies like the police, primary care trust and council.

“Their own advice is that every region should have one.”

Since the Action on Rape campaigned was launched the Echo has been contacted by charities and victims who have all backed the plan.

Jon said these centres helped improve conviction rates and as such the plan was being strongly backed by the police.

“The number (of offenders) that even gets caught in the first place is very small,” he added.

“The police believe a rape crisis centre will have an impact upon their ability to gather evidence and encourage more people to come forward and to be able to get a conviction.

“It’s quite an important issue in Lincolnshire. Our campaign is about raising the issue of a hidden problem, i.e. the number of rapes and attacks that never come to light.

“We’ve just ran another week’s worth of articles about the issue. We’ve had a number of women come forward, praising the campaign saying they’ve been the victim themselves.”