Rape crisis centres in the north and north-east will be given an extra £95,000 to boost the “invaluable” work they do to help people coming to terms with being sexually assaulted.
The cash injection has been announced as part of a government scheme aimed at distributing £1.5 million to crisis centres across Scotland.
The facilities offer confidential emotional and practical support to those who have been the victims of sexual violence at any time during their lives.
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced that the venues would be given additional funding over three years as part of her programme for government in 2018-19.
In the north and north-east, the Grampian and Highland operations will be given £37,000 each with Moray getting £10,000 and Shetland £11,000.
Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said the funding would ensure that more people are assisted.
She said: “We are committed to preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls.
“A huge part of delivering on that commitment is ensuring that victims of rape or sexual assault are able to come forward and access the right support when they need it.
“The work that rape crisis centres do is invaluable and that is why I am delighted to confirm the distribution to 14 centres – from Shetland to the Scottish Borders – of £1.5 million over the next three years.
“That funding will bolster the resource available to each centre to ensure that more people can receive support, more quickly, as well as helping these services plan for the future.”
There are a total of 14 centres in Scotland. Elsewhere the units in Dundee and Glasgow will both be given £74,000 with £37,000 going to Edinburgh, Fife, Lanarkshire, the Forth Valley and Perth and Kinross.
A further £15,000 will be going to Ayrshire with £20,000 going to the south west region of the country.