A CAMPAIGN to help rape victims deal with the devastating after-effects of the attack has been launched.

Glasgow-based charity Rape Crisis Scotland produced 12 information booklets in the Self-care Campaign to help people who have suffered sexual violence.

Among the issues being targeted are anger, panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, sleep problems, sexual health and suicidal thoughts.

The aim is to follow up support phone calls and counselling by sending out the relevant information or referring the user to the resource section on the website.

It came after the Evening Times told how contacts to the Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) rose by 46% in a year. We reported in September how the charity, which works to end violence against women, received 3957 contacts from people looking for support and information during 2012/13, compared to 2712 in the previous year.

The 45.9% increase has been put down to a number of factors, including the introduction of their email support service which received and responded to 441 emails last year.

RCS helpline manager Katy Mathieson said the new campaign was aimed at helping to give victims of rape as much resources and information as possible for self-care.

She said: "The idea is to tailor packages for people.

"So if a survivor calls us and tells us the sort of things worrying her then we can follow up the conversation by sending her the resources. Sometimes it's hard during a phone call. But this way the survivor will have the information there and be able to consult it when she wants to or needs to.

"We hope it will reduce the potential suffering."

As well as advice on the key issues, the leaflets have contact details for local rape crisis centres and other agencies.

Information and resource worker Eileen Maitland said: "We are doing as much as possible to make people aware that there is support out there. They do not have to deal with sexual violence by themselves.

"When you consider that sex violence figures are rising and the number of reported rapes has gone up by 16% in Scotland in the past year, it is worrying.

"It cannot be ignored and we will do as much as we can for survivors."

For information visit http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/

rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk