Our History
In the early 1980’s, sexual violence against women within Merseyside was a largely unexplored and unpublicised issue; with most areas having limited, if not non-existent, support available to survivors. Against a backdrop of increasing feminist uprisings across Europe, a small group of local students discussed the possibility of bringing a women’s organisation to Wirral.
It wasn’t until August 1986 when 21-year old Diane Sindall was raped and murdered just feet away from a busy main road in Birkenhead that it was decided enough was enough. With local women angry at the nature of Diane’s death and how easily it could have been prevented, a change in attitude and the very first ‘Reclaim the Night’ march in Liverpool presented the perfect opportunity to strike. Round a small kitchen in a Birkenhead home, the Wirral Rape Crisis Counselling Service (WRCCS) was founded.
The Charity was founded and registered on 28th September 1987. This was the start of the charity that was to become known as RASA Merseyside.
If you would like to read more about our history you can download the document below.