While our race looks a little different than it did last year, Magdalene MCR is once again running the Cambridge half marathon to raise money for Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. This year, instead of running all at once, we'll be running apart, over the course of a month. But even though we'll be apart, we'll be keeping up the team spirit!

Once again we're supporting CRCC with our run. The Centre provides dedicated support services to survivors of rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence in Cambridgeshire. Every year the CRCC supports more than 1,000 survivors to not only cope and recover from the impact of sexual violence, but to go on to flourish and thrive.

As an NGO, the CRCC greatly relies on donations. Their work is only possible through the support of volunteers who raise awareness and who fundraise on- as well as offline. By sponsoring the Centre, we enable them to provide life-changing listening and support services for survivors (e.g. confidential helplines, one-to-one counselling, peer support groups and Independent Sexual Violence Advocates providing practical advice and help on legal processes).

This year, the work CRCC does is in even greater demand. Their work has moved from live-changing to live-saving during the pandemic as referrals to their advocacy service have risen by 40% and referrals to their counselling service by 41% compared with the previous year. Some of the particular challenges faced by people calling into the hotline include being stuck in an unsafe living situation with an abuser, postponement and/or cancellation of trials for survivors, and re-traumatisation from the loss of control associated with lockdowns.

In response to this, CRCC has begun a Live Chat service which is now in its testing phase, made possible by the generosity of donors and fundraisers. Anything you donate helps CRCC to continue with this and other work in order to support women and girls who have been subjected to sexual violence.