The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland has launched an urgent appeal for support to prevent their core funding from being axed.

The organisation together with SAFE Ireland, who work to combat domestic abuse, say their funding is being pulled from June, resulting in redundancies and downsizing of their work.

They believe that a proposed new system for collecting information about sexual violence and domestic abuse will result in lives being put at risk.

Now they are appealing for people to join their fight by emailing their objections to leading politicians, and to spread the protest via Facebook and Twitter.

The RCNI works to prevent sexual violence, helps victims to gain access to services, works in partnership at local, national and international level with public, private and not-for-profit sectors, and commissions research.

It has a data collection service which informs government policy and this is to be replaced by a new system which the RCNI believes is wholly inadequate.

The RCNI website has more information about the campaign and a sample letter which supporters can use to send to key politicians.